Dissociation of hypertrophic growth from changes in myocyte contractile function.

Increases in myocyte size and impairment of contractile function are both features of the pathophysiologic hypertrophic process. In this short review, we re-present evidence, both in human disease and in animal models, that the 2 phenomena can be dissociated in both time and relative degree. Additionally, in an animal model, physiologic growth concurrent with pathophysiologic hypertrophy induces similar changes in myocyte macroarchitecture but without the deleterious consequences for contractile function.