It is now becoming clear that acute exposure to Ang II is associated with the development of adaptive cardiac hypertrophy in which cardiac function is either unaltered or augmented, whereas prolonged exposure of the heart to Ang II results in the transition of adaptive cardiac hypertrophy to maladaptive cardiac hypertrophy, in which cardiac function is depressed; thereafter, a progression to a major health hazard occurs, namely heart failure. The gene discussed is AGT; the disease is heart failure.