In coronary artery disease late development of heart failure is strongly correlated with infarct size. Once myocardial infarction has occurred pathophysiological processes which are summarized as re-modelling of the left ventricle lead to subsequent dilatation and reduction of ejection fraction.

In arterial hypertension complex pathophysiological processes will lead to left ventricular dilatation and loss of contractile function after years or even decades of arterial hypertension.