Go big or go home: Translational approaches to target ischemic heart failure

Abstract

Despite improved prevention, diagnosis and treatment methods, heart disease caused by lack of oxygen remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. This thesis focuses on new interventions and treatment options to prevent ischemic induced heart failure. Specifically, treatments linked to processes that contribute to cardiac remodeling, namely cell death, inflammatory responses and fibrosis formation. As well-designed preclinical studies are very important for getting new therapies to the patient, large animal models have been used in these studies and extra attention was paid to immunosuppresive regimens for xenogenic cell transplantation. The work presented in this thesis will assist further development of novel therapies for the prevention of ischemic heart failure.