[Endocrine disorders and the heart]

Abstract

Hormonal regulation is not possible without the cardiovascular system, and thus the heart plays a special role not only in the action and synthesis, but also in the distribution of hormones. Severe endocrine disorders with cardiac involvement are often threatening for the patient. The impact of aberrant thyroid function, the sympathetic-adrenal symptoms of which predominantly affect the heart, is well known. Diabetes mellitus and the associated metabolic syndrome are major causes of cardiovascular disease and determine its morbidity and lethality rates. Acromegaly causes a complex cardiomyopathy that may result in cardiac failure refractive to conventional treatment. The excessive production of adrenal hormones in Cushing's syndrome, hyperaldosteronism and pheochromocytoma primarily harms the heart by causing severe hypertension. The same holds true for long-standing hyperparathyroidism. Recent prospective studies did not confirm the protective effect of hormone replacement therapy on cardiovascular disease.