PRKAA2 and heart failure: AMPK also plays an important role in regulating CM apoptosis [41, 47, 49, 53], which has been implicated as a potential mechanism in the development of cardiomyopathy and heart failure [38, 39] Consistent with a pivotal role of AMPK in myocardial cell apoptosis, here we show that nicotine e-cigarettes (2.4% nicotine) plus an HFD triggers CM apoptosis.