Hormone therapy in heart failure: growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor I

Heart disease is the major cause of mortality in the developed world. Despite recent advances in the therapy of heart failure due to ACE inhibitors and beta-blockers, the prognosis of this syndrome is still poor. In the past few years, the effects of growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) on heart morphology and function were extensively studied. Some studies dealing with experimental heart failure of animals and one controversial study dealing with human heart failure suggest positive hemodynamic effects of GH and/or IGF-I treatment. This review summarizes the physiological effects of GH/IGF-I on the myocardium, their signal transduction mechanisms, and the data currently available on the therapeutic use of these agents.