title: Determining the role of fibrosis in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
abstract: Fibroblast activity within the heart may be considered a basically constructive process. Hyperactivity of fibroblasts, however, may result in the accumulation of extracellular matrix proteins with adverse effects on cardiac structure and function including electrical instability and increased risk of arrhythmogenic cardiac death. The detection of cardiac fibrosis by dedicated imaging techniques, mainly gadolinium-enhanced MRI, holds promise to refine patient management in a variety of cardiac conditions. This review aims to summarize the current knowledge regarding fibrosis in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Heart and Diabetes Centre North-Rhine Westphalia, Ruhr University Bochum, Bad Oeynhausen, Germany.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Prinz
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Farr
authors.forename: Kai Thorsten
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Laser
authors.forename: Helmut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Esdorn
authors.forename: Cornelia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Piper
authors.forename: Dieter
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Horstkotte
authors.forename: Lothar
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Faber
mesh_terms: D002312:Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D003287:Contrast Media; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism*; D005355:Fibrosis; D005682:Gadolinium; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D005682:Gadolinium