Medicine
Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Septic Cardiomyopathy
Quick fact
In septic cardiomyopathy, heart muscle cells are not dead but their mitochondria are severely damaged—this can cause the heart to pump less effectively even though blood flow to the heart is normal.
Why this is interesting
Your heart is a relentless engine, but during a severe infection, it can suddenly weaken—what if the cause lies not in the heart muscle itself, but in the tiny power plants inside its cells?