Abstract

Endocrinology is the discipline that focuses on hormones, their interaction with specific receptors and related diseases. The endocrine system is involved in multiple functions such as growth, metabolic homeostasis, production and storage of energy, blood pressure regulation and reproduction. Hormones are defined as activated chemical signals secreted into the bloodstream that act on distant receptors in different tissues, regulated by precise feedback mechanisms. In relation to the heart and the cardiovascular system, hormones produced in different glands (ie, cortisol and adrenal, triiodothyronine, and thyroid gland) or other organs (ie, renin and kidney or adiponectin and adipose tissue) will elicit indirect and direct biological effects depending on the localization of the receptors on target tissues. Furthermore, it is now clear that the heart is not just a target organ for different type of hormones but also is an “endocrine organ,” by secreting natriuretic peptides that play a central role in fluid and electrolyte homeostasis. Since there are hundreds of different hormones and because receptors are so ubiquitous throughout the body, the effects of endocrine dysregulation on the cardiovascular system is frequently observed in clinical practice; many endocrine diseases are diagnosed due to cardiovascular manifestations. This chapter will update most of the endocrinopathies that can affect the heart, including the interplay of the endocrine system and the cardiovascular system, with special emphasis on evidence-based information from recent years.