title: Clinical management of dilated cardiomyopathy: current knowledge and future perspectives.
abstract: Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a primary heart muscle disease characterized by a progressive dilation and dysfunction of either the left or both ventricles. The management of DCM is currently challenging for clinicians. The persistent lack of knowledge about the etiology and pathophysiology of this disease continues to determine important fields of uncertainty in managing this condition. Molecular cardiology and genetics currently represent the most crucial horizon of increasing knowledge. Understanding the mechanisms underlying the disease allows clinicians to treat this disease more effectively and to further improve outcomes of DCM patients through advancements in etiologic characterization, prognostic stratification and individualized therapy. Left ventricular reverse remodeling predicts a lower rate of major cardiac adverse events independently from other factors. Optimized medical treatment and device implantation are pivotal in inducing left ventricular reverse remodeling. Newly identified targets, such as angiotensin-neprilysin inhibition, phosphodiesterase inhibition and calcium sensitizing are important in improving prognosis in patients affected by DCM.
authors.affiliation: a Cardiovascular Department , Ospedali Riuniti and University of Trieste , Trieste , Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Merlo
authors.affiliation: a Cardiovascular Department , Ospedali Riuniti and University of Trieste , Trieste , Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cannatá
authors.affiliation: a Cardiovascular Department , Ospedali Riuniti and University of Trieste , Trieste , Italy.
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vitagliano
authors.affiliation: a Cardiovascular Department , Ospedali Riuniti and University of Trieste , Trieste , Italy.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zambon
authors.affiliation: a Cardiovascular Department , Ospedali Riuniti and University of Trieste , Trieste , Italy.
authors.forename: Gerardina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lardieri
authors.affiliation: a Cardiovascular Department , Ospedali Riuniti and University of Trieste , Trieste , Italy.
authors.forename: Gianfranco
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sinagra
mesh_terms: D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D011379:Prognosis; D020257:Ventricular Remodeling
keywords: Dilated cardiomyopathy; LCZ-696; left ventricular reverse remodeling; phosphodiesterase inhibitors