Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 10, 2026
07:32
Murine Fecal Isolation and Microbiota Transplantation
Published on: May 26, 2023
5.3K
Gut Microbiota Alterations in Heart Failure Patients: Insights from a Systematic Review
Néstor Báez-Ferrer1, Alejandro Lemus-Martín1, María Beatriz Castro-Hernández2
1Cardiology Department, Hospital Universitario de Canarias, 38320 Tenerife, Spain.
Journal of Clinical Medicine
|November 27, 2025
Summary
Heart failure patients exhibit altered gut microbiota, with reduced diversity and increased inflammatory bacteria. This dysbiosis may drive systemic inflammation, suggesting microbiota modulation as a potential therapeutic target for heart failure.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Cardiology
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- Heart failure (HF) is linked to chronic systemic inflammation and increased mortality.
- The gut microbiota plays a role in modulating systemic inflammation.
- Alterations in the gut microbiota composition have been noted in HF patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and compare the intestinal microbiota between heart failure patients and healthy controls.
- To identify specific microbial changes associated with heart failure.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature search in PubMed/MEDLINE up to July 2025.
- Included studies followed PRISMA criteria.
- Risk of bias assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale.
Main Results:
- Fourteen studies involving 1167 participants (550 HF, 617 HC) were analyzed.
- HF patients showed reduced alpha and beta diversity compared to healthy controls.
- HF patients had increased proinflammatory bacteria (e.g., Streptococcus, Escherichia-Shigella) and decreased anti-inflammatory bacteria (e.g., Faecalibacterium, Blautia, Lachnospira).
Conclusions:
- Heart failure patients possess an altered gut microbiota profile.
- This dysbiosis promotes the growth of bacteria that exacerbate systemic inflammation via metabolic activity.
- Targeting the gut microbiota presents a novel therapeutic avenue for managing heart failure.
Related Concept Videos
01:17Pathophysiology of Heart Failure
2.7K
Heart failure (HF) is a progressive syndrome involving ventricles that leads to inadequate cardiac output. It can be classified based on location and output or ejection fraction. Ejection fraction (EF) is an essential measurement in the diagnosis and surveillance of HF. Reduced EF corresponds to systolic heart failure (HFrEF). However, HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is becoming increasingly prevalent. Also known as diastolic HF, this form of HF is related to aging. The...
2.7K
01:27Heart Failure I: Introduction
671
Heart failure refers to a clinical syndrome caused by structural or functional cardiac disorders that prevent the heart from pumping an adequate amount of blood to meet the body's metabolic needs. This condition often arises from myocardial infarction or ischemia, leading to decreased cardiac output, reduced tissue perfusion, impaired gas exchange, fluid volume imbalance, and decreased functional ability.Heart failure can result from disruptions in the mechanisms that regulate cardiac output...
671
01:29Heart Failure II: Pathophysiology
693
Systolic Heart Failure and Compensatory MechanismsSystolic heart failure (also termed HFrEF, Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction) is the most prevalent type of heart filure. It results in a decreased volume of blood being pumped from the ventricle. The aortic arch and carotid sinuses have baroreceptors that detect reduced blood pressure, triggering the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) to release epinephrine and norepinephrine. Initially, this response aims to boost heart rate and...
693
01:26Heart Failure Drugs: Inhibitors of Renin-Angiotensin System
895
The activation of the sympathetic nervous system and the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) contributes to cardiac remodeling, and inhibiting the RAAS is a pharmacological target in heart failure management. As a result, neurohumoral modulation is a crucial treatment principle for managing heart failure. This approach involves using medications like ACE inhibitors (ACEIs), angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), β-blockers, mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs), and neutral...
895
01:26Heart Failure III: Clinical Manifestations
452
Heart failure (HF) manifests primarily as dyspnea, fatigue, and fluid retention, resulting in peripheral and pulmonary edema. Symptoms may vary depending on which ventricle is more affected, left or right.Left-Sided Heart FailureAlso known as left ventricular failure, this condition results from the left ventricle's inability to fill or eject sufficient blood into the systemic circulation. It leads to pulmonary congestion, which occurs when the left ventricle fails to eject blood effectively...
452
01:28Mitral Regurgitation IV: Nursing Management
288
Mitral regurgitation (MR) is a condition where the mitral valve does not close properly, leading to the backward flow of blood from the left ventricle into the left atrium during systole. This condition can arise from various causes, including rheumatic fever, infective endocarditis, or degenerative valve disease. Effective nursing management is crucial to optimizing patient outcomes and involves comprehensive assessment and targeted interventions.Comprehensive Patient AssessmentA detailed...
288