[Molecular aspects of cardiac hypertrophy and their implications in cardiomyopathies].

Cardiac hypertrophy or hypertrophy of cardiomyocytes is an adaptive response of the heart against an intrinsic or extrinsic damage in cardiomyocytes. A typical intrinsic defect causing cardiac hypertrophy is the sarcomere mutations found in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and extrinsic defects include cardiac ischemia, pressure- or volume-overload, metabolic diseases and arrhythmias. The hypertrophic response is a compensatory mechanism to augments cardiac output, however, sustained hypertrophy may lead to systolic dysfunction or de-compensation state. It is well known that some patients with HCM develop to dilated-phase or burn-out phase, which resembles dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). In this review, molecular mechanisms underlying the cardiac hypertrophy in HCM and DCM will be discussed.