Left Ventricular Remodeling in Myocardial Infarction
Summary
Left ventricular remodelling is the process by which the heart’s structure, geometry and function change in response to myocardial infarction. Following an infarct, irreversible loss of cardiomyocytes triggers an inflammatory cascade and deposition of extracellular matrix, leading to scar formation. The initial phase is characterised by infarct expansion and thinning of the ventricular wall, while the chronic phase involves chamber dilatation, increased wall stress and progressive left ventricular dysfunction. Neurohormonal activation, including upregulation of the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system and sympathetic nervous system, perpetuates maladaptive structural changes. Clinically, adverse remodelling is a major determinant of heart failure, arrhythmia risk and long-term mortality. Assessment relies on imaging modalities such as echocardiography and cardiovascular magnetic resonance to quantify changes in end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes, ejection fraction and myocardial mass. Biomarkers reflecting myocyte injury, inflammation and fibrosis complement imaging and may enable early risk stratification. Therapeutic strategies aim to limit adverse remodelling by restoring coronary perfusion, implementing neurohormonal blockade and exploring novel antifibrotic and regenerative approaches. Understanding the interplay between molecular mechanisms and mechanical stress is essential to develop interventions that halt or reverse remodelling and improve clinical outcomes worldwide.
Research from Nature Portfolio
No recent Nature Portfolio content available.
Left Ventricular Remodeling in Myocardial Infarction publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in left ventricular remodeling in myocardial infarction across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Myocardial infarction: Irreversible necrosis of cardiac muscle due to prolonged ischaemia.
Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF): Percentage of blood ejected from the left ventricle during systole, an index of pump function.
End-diastolic volume (EDV): Volume of blood in the left ventricle at the end of filling, used to assess chamber dilatation.
Extracellular matrix: Network of proteins and glycoproteins that provide structural support to myocardial tissue and mediates fibrotic repair.
Fibrosis: Accumulation of collagen and other matrix components within the myocardium, leading to stiffening and dysfunction.
Neurohormonal activation: Upregulation of hormonal systems (e.g., renin–angiotensin–aldosterone, sympathetic nervous system) that influence cardiac remodelling.
References
- Left Ventricular Post-Infarct Remodeling Implications for Systolic Function Improvement and Outcomes in the Modern Era. JACC Heart Failure (2019).
- Long-term prognostic impact of left ventricular remodeling after a first myocardial infarction in modern clinical practice. PLOS ONE (2017).
- Left Ventricular Remodeling after Myocardial Infarction: From Physiopathology to Treatment. Life (2022).
- Post-Myocardial Infarction Ventricular Remodeling Biomarkers—The Key Link between Pathophysiology and Clinic. Biomolecules (2020).
About these summaries
This Nature Research Intelligence Topic summary is created with the cited references and a large language model. We take care to ground generated text with facts, and have systems in place to gain human feedback on the overall quality of the process in line with our AI principles. We strive to create accurate and useful summaries for people unfamiliar with the research topic and that supports this goal. These pages are a beta release and will be updated as we learn how best to help people gain value from a research topic summary.
Turn complex research questions into confident strategic decisions
When you're under pressure to set direction, justify investment, or understand your competitive position, you need more than raw data — you need trusted insights you can act on.
Benchmark your performance against global peers using robust, methodologically sound analysis.
Combine quantitative metrics with qualitative expert insight to uncover strengths, gaps and emerging opportunities.
Gain tailored, decision-ready recommendations aligned to your strategic priorities.
Talk to us to learn more about our data dashboards and bespoke strategy reports.
Grow research skills, confidence and careers with training built for every stage of the research lifecycle.
Developed with Nature Portfolio journal Editors and internationally renowned experts. Discover three ways to learn:
Self-paced, online courses in convenient bite-sized units, covering key skills across scientific writing, publishing, grant writing, data analysis, and more.
Expert trainer-led workshops with hands-on exercises and real-time feedback across core research skills, delivered via interactive group sessions.
Editor-led workshops combining core principles in writing and publishing, personalised 1:1 feedback from Nature Portfolio Editors and hands-on exercises.
Explore course catalogues and workshop agendas, enquire about the options or request institutional pricing.