Mechanisms of Heart Failure is based on papers selected from poster presentations made at the International Conference on Heart Failure, Winnipeg, May 20-23, 1994. Although the entire book is one continuous discussion of subcellular mechanisms of heart failure and its treatment, the presentation has been divided into three sections: the opening section on the subcellular basis of heart failure includes discussions of cytokines, signal transduction, metabolism, extracellular matrix, organ level changes and newer approaches to understanding the pathogenesis of heart failure. The second section focuses on the pathophysiological aspects of cardiomyopathies and their treatment. In the final section, medical, surgical and pharmacological approaches to the treatment of heart failure are discussed in clinical and animal laboratory settings.

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I. Subcellular Basis of Heart Failure.- 1. Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha in Chronic Heart Failure.- 2. Myocardial Ribonuclease Activity in Heart Failure.- 3. ?-Adrenergic Receptor Mechanisms in Heart Failure.- 4. Vascular ?-Adrenergic Function in Congestive heart Failure.- 5. Altered Myocardial Neurotransmitter and 1,2-Diacylglycerol Concentrations in Right Ventricular Hypertrophy and Failure in Rats.- 6. Metabolic Changes in Nonischemic Myocardium During Pump Failure.- 7. Cardiac Extracellular Matrix and its Role in the Development of Heart Failure.- 8. SHHF/Mcc-fa3cp Rat Model: A Genetic Model of Congestive Heart Failure.- 9. Left Ventricular Mass and Diastolic Function in Young Individuals with a first elevated Casual Blood Pressure.- 10. Factors Responsible for Left Ventricular Underfilling in Pure Mitral Stenosis.- 11. Improved Preservation of Myocardial ultrastructure in Perfusion-Fixed Human Heart Expiants.- 12. Involvement of Leukotoxin in the Pathogenesis of Patients with Extensive Burns.- 13. Differential Regulation of Calmodulin-Dependent Cyclic Nucleotide Phosphodiesterase Isozymes.- II. Pathophysiologic Aspects of Cardiomyopathies.- 14. Adriamycin Cardiomyopathy and its Prevention in an Animal Model.- 15. Alterations in Sarcolemmal Phospholipid Base Exchange Enzymatic Activities in Diabetic Cardiomyopathy.- 16. Myocardial Lipid Peroxidation and Diabetes.- 17. Molecular Biologic Changes of Adenine Nucleotide Translocator in J-2-N Cardiomyopathic Hamsters.- 18. Renin-Angiotensin System and the Congenital Cardiomyopathic Hamster.- 19. Dietary Mercury Induces Congestive Cardiomyopathy in the Arctic.- 20. Peripheral Resistance to Atrial Natriuretic Peptide in Patients with Idiopathic Dilated.- 21. Effect of Ethanol on Allylamine-Induced SubendocardialFibrosis.- 22. Nitric Oxide: Friend and Foe in Myocardial Ischemia and Reperfusion.- 23. Role of Leukocytes and Subcellular Abnormalities in Diastolic Dysfunction During Ischemia-Reperfusion.- 24. Calcium Channel Blockade Ameliorates Cardiac Dysfunction and Failure in Ischemic Cardiomyopathy.- 25. Alterations in Autonomic Nervous System and Heart Mitochondrial Function in Rats Treated with Cyclophosphamide.- III. Treatment of Heart Failure.- 26. Combined Aerobic and Strength Training in Congestive Heart Failure Patients: Pilot Project on Safety and Feasibility.- 27. Factors Relating to 6 Minute Walk Performance in Heart Failure Patients.- 28. Dynamic Cardiomyoplasty: Management of Heart Failure Using Autologous Skeletal Muscle.- 29. Cardiac Cell Transplantation.- 30. Effects of Catalase on Volume-Overload Heart Failure.- 31. Major Determinants of Survival and Nonsurvival of Intra-aortic balloon Pumping.- 32. End-Stage Ischemic Heart Disease: Effects of Complete Myocardial Revascularization and Left Ventricular Patch Repair Following Scar Resection 369.- 33. Acute Enoximone Effect on Systemic Hemodynamics, Renal Function, and Hormonal Activation in Patients with Heart Failure.- 34. Angiotensin II Receptor Antagonist, E-4177, Inhibits Progression of Reactive Cardiac Hypertrophy Associated with Myocardial Infarction in Rats.- 35. Effects of Catecholamine and Amrinone on the Metabolism of Noninfarcted Myocardium in Cardiogenic Shock.- 36. Effects of Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitors on Acute Heart Failure Induced in the Anesthetized Dog with Microsphere Injection.- 37. Recruitment of Ventricular Function with Adjunctive Nitrate Therapy After Late Reperfusion.- 38. Neuromuscular Assessment of Heart Failure Patients.