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Original Articles: Adult Cardiac

Invited Commentary

Department of Cardiac Surgery, University of Leipzig-Heart Center, Struempellstr 39, Leipzig, 04289 Germany

(Email: torsten.doenst@med.uni-leipzig.de).

The first 20% of the full text of this article appears below.

Left ventricular remodeling (ie, the global hypertrophic and dilatory response of the heart to a local infarct) is one of the main and still growing causes for heart failure. It is characterized by an imbalance of extracellular matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their inhibitors (tissue inhibitor of MMPs [TIMPs]). Therapeutic approaches are being developed and tested to prevent or even reverse remodeling, but pharmacologic options are still in their experimental stage. In contrast, surgical ventricular reconstruction has been advocated as a potential therapeutic tool . . . [Full Text of this Article]