Altered Gene Expression In Heart Failure

Heart failure is a progressive disease that begins when the heart adapts to stressors--high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, or diabetes. The heart muscle becomes weakened over time, making it increasingly difficult for the heart to pump blood through the body. These stressors can lead to dilated cardiomyopathy, in which the heart's left ventricle (pumping chamber) stretches, enlarges, and becomes thinner.