Galectin-3 in cardiovascular disease: A possible window into early myocardial fibrosis

摘要

In the context of a declining rate of deaths due to coronary atherosclerosis, the prevention and management of heart failure (HF) have an emerging dominant role in cardiovascular care. Prognosis with HF is poor, with about 50% 4-year mortality (1), and definitive treatment is challenging, related in part to the heterogeneity of causes. Biomarkers linked to the onset and progression of HF are now of intense clinical and research interest, with several new biomarkers related to HF recently approved for clinical use. In this issue of the Journal, Ho et al. (2) report on one such biomarker, galectin-3 (Gal-3), and the incidence of new HF in apparently healthy Americans.