Fatty Acid Metabolism and Age-Related Heart Failure

Researchers here propose that alterations in fatty acid metabolism in aged heart tissue make up one of the contributing factors to the age-related loss of function in the heart, a process that eventually leads to heart failure and death. As a mechanism this is is situated somewhere in the middle of the chain of cause and consequence that starts with molecular damage caused by the normal operation of metabolism, a sort of biological wear and tear, then passes through a complex series of reactions to that damage, some helpful and some harmful, and finally leads to functional failure in organs as the network of damage and consequences becomes too much. Age-related cardiac dysfunction is a major factor in heart failure. The elderly accounts for at least 80% of patients with ischemic heart disease, 75% of patients with congestive heart failure, and 70% of patients with atrial fibrillation. Heart failure with either lower or preserved ejection fraction is common for hospitalized patients with cardiac abnormalities. Cardiac aging, which is evident in both humans and mice, plays an important role for both types of heart failure. Several components of cardiac function, including energetic homeostasis, adrenergic signaling, and mitochondrial dysfunction, can be compromised during aging. Balanced cardiac lipid metabolism is critical for normal function of the heart. Any deviation toward either increased or reduced fatty acid metabolism may be detrimental for cardiac function, p...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs