Guihaire J, Noly PE, Schrepfer S, Mercier O. Advancing knowledge of right ventricular pathophysiology in chronic pressure overload: Insights from experimental studies.
Arch Cardiovasc Dis 2015;
108:519-29. [PMID:
26184869 DOI:
10.1016/j.acvd.2015.05.008]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2015] [Revised: 05/25/2015] [Accepted: 05/26/2015] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The right ventricle (RV) has to face major changes in loading conditions due to cardiovascular diseases and pulmonary vascular disorders. Clinical experience supports evidence that the RV better compensates for volume than for pressure overload, and for chronic than for acute changes. For a long time, right ventricular (RV) pathophysiology has been restricted to patterns extrapolated from left heart studies. However, the two ventricles are anatomically, haemodynamically and functionally distinct. RV metabolic properties may also result in a different behaviour in response to pathological conditions compared with the left ventricle. In this review, current knowledge of RV pathophysiology is reported in the setting of chronic pressure overload, including recent experimental findings and emerging concepts. After a time-varying compensated period with preserved cardiac output despite overload conditions, RV failure finally occurs, leading to death. The underlying mechanisms involved in the transition from compensatory hypertrophy to maladaptive remodelling are not completely understood.
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