Influence of zinc supplementation on cardiac remodeling after myocardial infarction

Abstract

Heart failure is responsible for a large number of hospitalizations worldwide. The main causes of this disease are myocardial ischemia and systemic arterial hypertension. Among the ischemic changes, can emphasize the acute myocardial infarction (MI). After MI may be changes in ventricular architecture complex, involving both the infarcted region as the non-infarcted. Recently, these adaptations came to be studied with the name or cardiac ventricular remodeling. Due to the large socio-economic impact and high mortality rates, it becomes important to identify factors that modulate the process of ventricular remodeling, such as zinc. Zinc is divalent metal, essential for the activity of several enzymes such as angiotensin converting enzyme, superoxide dismutase and extracellular matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). Furthermore, the metal structure has a fundamental role in cell membranes, and stabilization of the structures of RNA, DNA and ribosomes. Currently, experimental and clinical evidence shows that serum zinc is decreased in heart failure. This reduction can interfere with the activity of metalloproteinases, with oxidative stress and consequently the inflammatory process. However, the influence of zinc supplementation on cardiac remodeling after acute myocardial infarction has not been studied.