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Effects of biological sex on the pathophysiology of the heart
Author(s) -
Fazal Loubina,
Azibani Feriel,
Vodovar Nicolas,
Cohen Solal Alain,
Delcayre Claude,
Samuel JaneLise
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
british journal of pharmacology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.432
H-Index - 211
eISSN - 1476-5381
pISSN - 0007-1188
DOI - 10.1111/bph.12279
Subject(s) - pathological , pathophysiology , biological sex , medicine , sex characteristics , physiology , cardiovascular physiology , bioinformatics , psychology , pathology , biology , developmental psychology
Cardiovascular diseases are the leading causes of death in men and women in industrialized countries. While the effects of biological sex on cardiovascular pathophysiology have long been known, the sex-specific mechanisms mediating these processes have been further elucidated over recent years. This review aims at analysing the sex-based differences in cardiac structure and function in adult mammals, and the sex-based differences in the main molecular mechanisms involved in the response of the heart to pathological situations. It emerged from this review that the sex-based difference is a variable that should be dealt with, not only in basic science or clinical research, but also with regards to therapeutic approaches.