Contribution of peripheral and central chemoreceptors to sympatho-excitation in heart failure

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Physiology
• Neuroscience
• Pulmonary Medicine

Background:

• Chronic heart failure (CHF) is a significant public health issue.
• Sympathetic nervous system hyper-activation is a hallmark of CHF, worsening prognosis.
• Increased peripheral and central chemoreflex drive are markers of CHF severity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review current evidence on altered peripheral and central chemoreflex function in CHF.
• To elucidate the contribution of these chemoreflexes to autonomic imbalance and disease progression.
• To identify potential therapeutic targets for mitigating CHF progression.

Main Methods:

• Review of recent scientific literature on chemoreflex function in CHF.
• Analysis of studies investigating carotid bodies (CBs) and central chemoreceptors (CCs) in CHF.
• Synthesis of data from both human and animal models of CHF.

Main Results:

• Enhanced chemosensitivity of carotid bodies (CBs) in CHF increases ventilation and sympathetic outflow.
• Central chemoreceptors (CCs) also show potentiated ventilatory and sympathetic drive in CHF.
• Both peripheral and central chemoreflex alterations contribute to autonomic imbalance in CHF.

Conclusions:

• Altered peripheral and central chemoreflexes play a critical role in the augmented sympathetic drive observed in CHF.
• Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for developing novel therapeutic strategies to manage CHF.
• Targeting chemoreflex pathways may offer a promising approach to attenuate CHF progression and improve patient outcomes.