title: Triple threat: the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger in the pathophysiology of cardiac arrhythmia, ischemia and heart failure.
abstract: The Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchanger (NCX) is the main Ca(2+) extrusion mechanism of the cardiac myocyte and thus is crucial for maintaining Ca(2+) homeostasis. It is involved in the regulation of several parameters of cardiac excitation contraction coupling, such as cytosolic Ca(2+) concentration, repolarization and contractility. Increased NCX activity has been identified as a mechanism promoting heart failure, cardiac ischemia and arrhythmia. Transgenic mice as well as pharmacological interventions have been used to support the idea of using NCX inhibition as a future pharmacological strategy to treat cardiovascular disease.
authors.affiliation: University Hospital of Muenster, Department of Cardiology and Angiology, Albert-Schweitzer-Str. 33, 48149 Muenster, Germany. christian.pott@ukmuenster.de
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pott
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Eckardt
authors.forename: Joshua I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Goldhaber
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D009200:Myocardial Contraction; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D019831:Sodium-Calcium Exchanger / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D019831:Sodium-Calcium Exchanger; D002118:Calcium