Heart Diseases

Cardiovascular Toxicology and Pharmacology

Cardiovascular pharmacology focuses on the fundamental mechanisms of cardiovascular cells and how drugs influence the heart failure and vascular system and those parts of the nervous and endocrine systems that participate in regulating cardiovascular function. Researchers observe the results of medicine on blood pressure, blood flow in specific vascular  beds, unharness of physiological mediators, and neural activity arising from central nervous system structures.

Cardiovascular toxicology is concerned with the adverse effects of extrinsic and intrinsic stresses on the heart failure and vascular system. Extrinsic stress involves exposure to therapeutic drugs, natural products, and environmental toxicants. Intrinsic stress refers to exposure to toxic metabolites derived from nontoxic compounds such as those found in food additives and supplements. The intrinsic exposures also include secondary neurohormonal disturbance such as overproduction of inflammatory cytokines derived from pressure overload of the heart failure and counter-regulatory responses to hypertension. These deadly exposures end in alterations in organic chemistry pathways, defects in cellular structure and performance, and pathologic process of the affected circulatory system.