[The acromegalic heart disease (author's transl)]

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Endocrinology
• Pathology

Background:

• Acromegaly, a disorder caused by excess growth hormone (GH), can lead to significant cardiovascular complications.
• Cardiac involvement in acromegaly, known as acromegalic heart disease, is a serious manifestation requiring thorough investigation.

Observation:

• This report details the clinical and pathological findings in three patients diagnosed with acromegalic heart disease.
• In two of the cases, no alternative causes for the cardiomyopathy were identified, suggesting primary myocardial involvement.

Findings:

• Growth hormone (GH) is implicated as the causative factor for cardiac hypertrophy in the absence of external overload.
• This GH-induced hypertrophy may progress to congestive heart failure.

Implications:

• The findings suggest a direct role of GH in the pathogenesis of acromegalic heart disease.
• A potential depletion of intramyocardial catecholamines is postulated, similar to other forms of cardiomegaly, contributing to disease progression.