VEGFA and heart failure: With regards to other studies, it is conceivable that angiogenesis and angiogenetic factors like EPO or vascular endothelial growth factor could directly (e.g. via AKT activation) and indirectly improve survival of cardiomyocytes, as well as preserve heart failure development, through later anti-fibrotic and anti-hypertrophic effects during MI healing and cardiac remodeling (Li et al., 2006, 2016; Klopsch et al., 2009; Nishiya et al., 2006; Gaebel et al., 2009; Mihov et al., 2009; Westenbrink et al., 2010).