Chapter 12 - Inflammatory Modulation by Statins and Heart Failure: From Pharmacological Data to Clinical Evidence

Heart failure (HF) results from a variety of processes leading to deregulation and damage of cellular and interstitial components of the heart, such as endothelial cells, myocytes, fibroblasts, conduction system fibers, extracellular matrix, and structural interstitial proteins. In vitro and ex-vivo studies as well as observational studies support a possible preventive role of statins in HF prevention and evolution, while clinical data are more contrasting. In this chapter, we will summarize the evidence for the regulatory effects of statins on cellular pathways possibly implicated in HF, approaching, in particular, inflammation and the functions of immune cells, endothelial cells, fibroblasts, and cardiomyocytes. Then, we will shortly evaluate how this vast preclinical data relate to the clinical evidence of statin efficacy in HF patients.