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Heart rate reduction in cardiovascular disease and therapy

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Abstract

Heart rate influences myocardial oxygen demand, coronary blood flow, and myocardial function. Clinical and experimental studies support an association between elevated resting heart rate and a broad range of maladaptive effects on the function and structure of the cardiovascular system. Heart rate has been shown to be an important predictor of mortality in cardiovascular disorders such as coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, and chronic heart failure. This review summarizes the specific influence of heart rate on vascular morphology and function as well as on myocardial lesions leading from early impact on vascular homeostasis to myocardial hemodynamics in chronic heart failure. Heart rate can be easily determined during physical examination of the patient and therefore allows a simple hint on prognosis and efficiency of therapy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Klinik für Innere Medizin III, Kardiologie, Angiologie und, Internistische Intensivmedizin, Universitätsklinikum des Saarlandes, Kirrberger Strasse, 66421, Homburg/Saar, Germany

    Jan-Christian Reil, Florian Custodis, Ulrich Laufs & Michael Böhm

  2. Department of Emergency and Cardiovascular Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, 416 85, Göteborg, Sweden

    Karl Swedberg

  3. Department of Cardiology, La Pitié-Salpétrière Hospital, University Pierre et Marie Curie Paris VI, Paris, France

    Michel Komajda

  4. Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, The Howard Gilman Institute for Heart Valve Disease, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY, USA

    Jeffrey S. Borer

  5. Robertson Centre for Biostatistics, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, UK

    Ian Ford

  6. GVM Care and Research, Maria Cecilia Hospital, Cotignola, Italy

    Luigi Tavazzi

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  1. Jan-Christian Reil
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  2. Florian Custodis
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  3. Karl Swedberg
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  4. Michel Komajda
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  8. Ulrich Laufs
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  9. Michael Böhm
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Correspondence to Jan-Christian Reil.

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Reil, JC., Custodis, F., Swedberg, K. et al. Heart rate reduction in cardiovascular disease and therapy. Clin Res Cardiol 100, 11–19 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00392-010-0207-x

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