CARDIOMYOPATHIES AND OXIDATIVE STRESS

Cardiomyopathies are the group of diseases affecting the cardiac muscl e. Although they have never been related to oxidative stress diseases, an analysis of the causes of these pathologies reveals the presence o f a pro-oxidative agent or that the intracardiocytic balance between o xidation and antioxidation has been broken. In support of this hypothe sis, we analyse the pro-oxidative factors which co-operate with other factors or by themselves to promote the development of this group of p athologies. We show also data demonstrating that the tissue and cellul ar damages are characteristic of an oxidative stress situation. Finall y, we present evidence that in some cases of particular cardiomyopathi es, the use of antioxidative strategies greatly improves the health of the patients. Therefore, we suggest that the use of antioxidants can be an alternative or complementary therapy in this group of diseases.