INTENSIVE CARE, HEART FAILURE AND MELATONIN

Abstract

Melatonin (5-methoxy-N-acetyltryptamine) is a neurohormone that is produced in the pineal gland mainly during the night by stimulation of beta-1- and alpha-1-adrenergic receptors, and it affects a variety of heart functions including cardiac rhythms, arterial blood pressure and heart rate. Some studies suggest that melatonin may have utility in the treatment of several cardiovascular conditions such as advanced heart failure. Melatonin has been shown to be highly effective in limiting abnormal cardiac physiology and the loss of critical heart tissue resulting from ischemia/reperfusion injury. It may also be useful in reducing cardiac hypertrophy in some situations and thereby limiting the frequency of heart failure. Taken together, the findings from this studies may support the consideration of melatonin as a cardioprotective agent at the intensive care patients with advanced heart failure.