[Circadian rhythm and ischemic heart disease].

Cardiovascular function exhibits circadian oscillation. Furthermore, the onset time and severity of cardiovascular diseases exhibit diurnal variation. The internal circadian clock whose center exists in the suprachiasmatic nucleus regulates this circadian variation. Many studies have reported that night shift workers have high risk of ischemic heart disease, suggesting a close association between cardiovascular diseases and circadian rhythm. In addition, recent studies obtained from genetically engineered mice with disrupted circadian rhythm have revealed that the circadian clock is closely related to the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. Understanding the importance of circadian rhythm in the cardiovascular diseases will provide a novel chronotherapeutic approaches to the prevention and treatment.