Chapter 25 – HORMONES OF THE CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM

Neurohormonal systems play a critical role in cardiovascular homeostasis as well cardiovascular pathophysiology and diseases such as congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, hypertension and chronic kidney disease. Neurohormonal activation is an important cause and therefore an important therapeutic target to treat cardiovascular diseases. It is well established that activation of hormonal systems such as the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system leads to increased cardiac injury and dysfunction which predispose to congestive heart failure. Obesity is also associated with neurohormonal activation and it is associated with multiple hemodynamic and metabolic factors which increase the risk of developing cardiovascular and renal diseases. In addition to direct hemodynamic effects, activation of hormonal systems may cause cardiovascular dysfunction through mechanisms including inflammation, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction. In this chapter we briefly discuss the hemodynamic effects of several key cardiovascular hormones as well as their nonhemodynamic effects with a focus on inflammation, oxidative stress, and metabolic regulation.