PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
ED  - Wilke, William S.
AU  - Young, James B.
TI  - Heart failure is a fever: The cytokine connection
DP  - 2000 Nov 01
TA  - Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine
PG  - 801--803
VI  - 67
IP  - 11
4099  - http://www.ccjm.org/content/67/11/801.short
4100  - http://www.ccjm.org/content/67/11/801.full
SO  - Cleve Clin J Med2000 Nov 01; 67
AB  - Inflammation probably contributes to the development and progress of heart failure. Proteins called cytokines, which are produced by damaged tissues and leukocytes as part of the inflammatory response, affect the heart both directly and indirectly. They exacerbate hemodynamic imbalances, act as negative inotropes, stimulate left ventricular hypertrophy, and promote the production of still more cytokines, which continue the cycle. Several medications counter these effects in vitro, and some are in clinical testing.