Role of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) in cardiac disease, hypertension and Meniere-like syndrome

Coenzyme Q10 (ubiquinone) is a mitochondrial coenzyme which is essential for the production of ATP. Being at the core of cellular energy processes it assumes importance in cells with high energy requirements like the cardiac cells which are extremely sensitive to CoQ10 deficiency produced by cardiac diseases. CoQ10 has thus a potential role for prevention and treatment of heart ailments by improving cellular bioenergetics. In addition it has an antioxidant, a free radical scavenging and a vasodilator effect which may be helpful in these conditions. It inhibits LDL oxidation and thus the progression of atherosclerosis. It decreases proinflammatory cytokines and decreases blood viscosity which is helpful in patients of heart failure and coronary artery disease. It also improves ischemia and reperfusion injury of coronary revascularisation. Significant improvement has been observed in clinical and hemodynamic parameters and in exercise tolerance in patients given adjunctive CoQ10 in doses from 60 to 200 mg daily in the various trials conducted in patients of heart failure, hypertension, ischemic heart disease and other cardiac illnesses. Recently it has been found to be an independent predictor of mortality in congestive heart failure. It has also been found to be helpful in vertigo and Meniere-like syndrome by improving the immune system. Further research is going on to establish firmly its role in the therapy of cardiovascular diseases.