TNF and heart failure: Gordon et al suggested that TNF‐α promoted progressive LV dysfunction in dog models of heart failure, mediated in part by increasing cardiomyocyte apoptosis.11 Additionally, TNF‐α antagonism has cardioprotective effects in experimental rat models of heart failure and a cardiac‐restricted TNF‐α overexpression mouse model.12, 13 Therefore, therapeutic approaches that block TNF‐α signals might have prophylactic value against heart failure, mainly though inhibiting myocyte apoptosis.14