These patients likewise have a reduced CFR related to vascular rarefication.17 Very evident in adult male mice subjected to aortic stenosis, the increase in myocardial VEGF expression and capillary density lags behind the increase in cardiomyocyte area (hypertrophy) resulting in perturbed mitochondrial energetics, cardiomyocyte apoptosis, and a decline in cardiac contractility.47 Overexpression of VEGF in this setting boosts capillary density and mitochondrial energetics, reduces cardiomyocyte apoptosis, and preserves cardiac function without a change in cardiac mass or hypertrophy.47 The gene discussed is VEGFA; the disease is aortic stenosis.