changes in the musculoskeletal system in heart failure
Last reviewed 01/2018
There is loss of skeletal muscle in heart failure. In patients with terminal heart failure the syndrome of "cardiac cachexia" may be pronounced.
There is increased fatiguability and decreased peak strength.
Magnetic resonance spectroscopy of skeletal muscles has shown that there is a decrease in the concentrations of high energy phosphate compounds such as ATP and phosphocreatine and an increase in inorganic phosphate.