Rationale for Treatment of Heart Failure by Blockade of Ventricular Serotonin Receptors Appearing in Heart Failure

摘要

Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) enhances contractility and causes arrhythmias through human atrial 5-HT4 receptors. We recently found that porcine and human as well as failing rat cardiac ventricle also responds to serotonin through 5-HT4 receptors which, like beta-adrenoceptors, are coupled via the G protein to increased cAMP formation1,2. In rats with 6-week post-infarction congestive heart failure (CHF), the maximal inotropic effect of serotonin was comparable in size with that of isoproterenol. Given the similar signalling systems utilised by the two receptors and that blockade of beta-adrenoceptors is beneficial in CHF, we propose that blockade of 5-HT4 receptors may also be beneficial in CHF.