title: Cardiac autonomic control mechanisms in the pathogenesis of chagas' heart disease.
abstract: Primary abnormalities of the autonomic nervous system had been postulated as the pathogenic mechanisms of myocardial damage, in patients with Chagas disease. However, recent investigations indicate that these abnormalities are secondary and amenable to treatment with beta-adrenergic blockers. Moreover, muscarinic cardiac autoantibodies appear to enhance parasympathetic activity on the sinus node. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to analyze how knowledge on Chagas' disease evolved from being initially considered as a primary cardioneuromyopathy to the current status of a congestive cardiomyopathy of parasitic origin.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares, Departamento de Fisiopatología, Instituto de Inmunologìa Clinica, Facultad de Medicina, Hospital Universitario de Los Andes, Universidad de Los Andes, Mérida 5101, Venezuela.
authors.forename: Diego F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Dávila
authors.forename: Jose H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Donis
authors.forename: Gabriela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Arata de Bellabarba
authors.forename: Vanesa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Villarroel
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sanchez
authors.forename: Lisbeth
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Berrueta
authors.forename: Siham
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Salmen
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Das Neves