1. The different role of sex hormones on female cardiovascular physiology and function: not only oestrogens
- Author
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Silvia Maffei, Flavio Acquistapace, Sabina Gallina, Samanta Di Francescomarino, Christian Cadeddu, and Sara Salerni
- Subjects
medicine.medical_specialty ,medicine.drug_class ,Clinical Biochemistry ,Biology ,Autonomic Nervous System ,Bioinformatics ,Biochemistry ,Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena ,Internal medicine ,medicine ,Animals ,Humans ,Gonadal Steroid Hormones ,Excitation Contraction Coupling ,Progesterone ,Estrogens ,Heart ,General Medicine ,Androgen ,Cardiovascular physiology ,Autonomic nervous system ,Endocrinology ,Androgens ,Female ,Calcium Channels ,Menopause ,Function (biology) ,Forecasting ,Signal Transduction ,Hormone - Abstract
Human response to different physiologic stimuli and cardiovascular (CV) adaptation to various pathologies seem to be gender specific. Sex-steroid hormones have been postulated as the major contributors towards these sex-related differences. This review will discuss current evidence on gender differences in CV function and remodelling, and will present the different role of the principal sex-steroid hormones on female heart. Starting from a review of sex hormones synthesis, receptors and CV signalling, we will summarize the current knowledge concerning the role of sex hormones on the regulation of our daily activities throughout the life, via the modulation of autonomic nervous system, excitation-contraction coupling pathway and ion channels activity. Many unresolved questions remain even if oestrogen effects on myocardial remodelling and function have been extensively studied. So this work will focus attention also on the controversial and complex relationship existing between androgens, progesterone and female heart.
- Published
- 2015
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