The disclosure provides methods of preventing or treating heart failure in a mammalian subject, reducing risk factors associated with heart failure, and/or reducing the likelihood or severity of heart failure. The disclosure also provides methods of preventing, or treating LV remodeling in a mammalian subject, and/or reducing the likelihood or severity of LV remodeling. The methods comprise administering to the subject an effective amount of an aromatic-cationic peptide. In some embodiments, the methods comprise administering to the subject an effective amount of an aromatic cationic peptide to reduce levels of C-reactive protein, tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin 6, reactive oxygen species, Nt-pro BNP, and/or cardiac troponin I, and/or reduce expression levels of MLCL AT1 and/or ALCAT 1 in subjects in need thereof. In some embodiments, the methods comprise administering to the subject an effective amount of an aromatic cationic peptide to increase expression of Tazl and/or increase mK ATP activity in subjects in need thereof.
