Novel Targets in Reducing Cardiac Fibrosis as a Preventive Tool for Cardiovascular Diseases. Why Always Treat Them? A Review Article

摘要

Cardiovascular diseases are the primary causes of death worldwide. These days its mortality and deadliness is rising dramatically. Cardiac fibrosis, one of the leading causes of heart diseases, is a common pathological process in cardiac disease. It can also cause sudden death even in those without cardiac symptoms. Experimental studies in animals have identified important pathways such as the Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System (RAAS) and the endothelin pathway that contribute to fibrosis formation. Currently different groups of drugs are used for treatment of cardiac fibrosis including antihypertensive, anti-inflammatory and cardioprotective agents. Despite the availability of these agents, the prevalence of heart failure and resistant hypertension is increasing. Therefore the search for novel targets is not a questionable issue. Recently different studies are being conducted for treatment of cardiac fibrosis specifically acting on epigenetics (ex. MicroRNAs), Receptors (ex. Adenosine receptors), Enzymes (ex. Lysl Oxidase like 2) and Oxidative stress (ex. N-Acetylcysteine). Therefore the current review looks for promising novel targets aiming at reversing cardiac fibrosis as a preventive tool for cardiovascular diseases.