How Hypertension Affects Heart Metabolism

Conclusion Myocardial energy metabolism is a complex process, which consists of a network of biochemical reactions and pathways. The initial stage is energy substrate utilization due to its uptake and metabolism as well as following participation of intermediates in TCA cycle. Then mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation enables generation of ATP molecules, and finally, the creatine kinase system transports ATP from mitochondria to the sarcomeres. In the light of the foregoing evidence, metabolism of the heart subjected to pressure overload may be disturbed in all of this areas. In spite of differences among humans and animals, one of the main disorders during hypertension includes a shift from fatty acids toward enhanced carbohydrates utilization in the heart. What is interesting, these abnormalities are connected with impaired myocardial function (Figure 3). Therefore, implementation of strategies aimed at improving cardiac metabolism in BP lowering therapy seems to be extremely important (Swislocki et al., 1999; Prahalathan et al., 2012; Wang et al., 2017; Polak et al., 2018b; Harasim-Symbor et al., 2019). FIGURE 3 Figure 3. Consequences of hypertension on heart metabolism and function. The figure shows how hypertension shifts fuel preference from fatty acids toward carbohydrates. AMPK, AMP kinase; β-HADH, β-hydroxy-acyl-CoA dehydrogenase; CK, creatine kinase; CS, citrate synthase; HF, heart failure; HK, hexokinase; LKB1, liver kinase B; LVH, left ...
Source: Frontiers in Physiology - Category: Physiology Source Type: research