Baroreceptor reflex in heart failure.
Congestive heart failure is a syndrome that is usually initiated by a reduction in pump function of the heart, i.e. a decrease in cardiac output. Initially, a reduction in cardiac output leads to unloading of baroreceptor reflex that, in turn, increases heart rate through vago-sympathetic mechanisms and total peripheral resistance via an increase in sympathetic outflow to vascular beds. In this review we are thinking on how baroreceptor reflex plays a role in the abnormal control of the circulation in heart failure. This review and our recent studies suggest that: (1) baroreceptor reflex is blunted in heart failure; (2) central angiotensin II and reactive oxygen species play an important role in blunted baroreceptor reflex; (3) cardiac sympathetic afferent stimulation and chemoreceptor reflex inhibit baroreceptor reflex; and (4) exercise training normalizes abnormal reflexes in the heart failure state.
Wang
Wei
W
Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Nebraska College of Medicine, Omaha, NE 68198-4575, USA. weiwang@unmc.edu
Zhu
Guo-Qing
GQ
Gao
Lie
L
Tan
Wen
W
Qian
Zhong-Ming
ZM
D000804:Angiotensin II / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D017704:Baroreflex / Q000502:physiology*; D002302:Cardiac Output / Q000502:physiology; D002628:Chemoreceptor Cells / Q000502:physiology; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000502:physiology
D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D000804:Angiotensin II