The effects of growth hormone supplementation on left ventricular function with the development of congestive heart failure.

While the etiologies of congestive heart failure (CHF) are diverse, a common event in the progression of this disease process is left ventricular dilation and subsequent pump dysfunction. Past clinical and experimental studies have demonstrated that growth hormone (GH) can directly influence left ventricular myocardial structure and function. For example, GH supplementation in patients with cardiomyopathic disease resulted in an improvement in left ventricular pump function. GH supplementation may produce two potentially independent effects with developing CHF. First, GH treatment may induce a myocardial growth response which will alter left ventricular geometry and wall thickness, and consequently reduces left ventricular wall stress. The reduction in left ventricular wall stress, which may be induced by GH treatment with CHF, would be expected to yield a favorable effect on left ventricular pump function. Second, GH supplementation with developing CHF could potentially provide a direct beneficial effect on left ventricular myocyte contractile performance, which would be independent of changes in left ventricular geometry and loading conditions. The overall goal of the present study was to measure left ventricular function and geometry, as well as left ventricular myocyte contractile function following GH supplementation with developing CHF. Methods