Chagas' heart disease and the autonomic nervous system

The autonomic nervous system is abnormal in patients with advanced Chagas' heart disease. Most researchers consider these autonomic abnormalities as primary, specific and irreversible. However, when and why these abnormalities appear in the natural history of Chagas' disease, is still the subject of intense controversy. Recent morphological and functional studies strongly suggest that the sympathetic;and the parasympathetic abnormalities are preceded by myocardial damage and left ventricular dysfunction. Moreover, chagasic patients with cardiac failure benefit from drugs which antagonize neurohumoral activation. Consequently, the abnormalities of the autonomic nervous system of chagasic patients are very likely secondary and partially reversible. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.