Corticosteroid receptor balance regulates life and death in cardiomyocytes.

Mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) antagonists are effective at treating heart failure. In this issue of Science Signaling, Oakley et al. provide new insight into their cardioprotective actions and highlight the importance of the opposing relationship between the MR and the related glucocorticoid receptor (GR) in the response to cardiomyocyte injury.