Vol 69, Supp. III (2011)
Reviews
Published online: 2011-11-24
Endogenous cardioprotective mechanisms — what is it about and how does it work?
DOI: 10.33963/v.kp.79151
Abstract
Reperfusion therapy is the primary treatment for acute myocardial infarction. Its infarct-limiting effectiveness is, however,
limited by so called reperfusion-induced myocardial injury likely related to reperfusion-mediated opening of the mitochondrial
permeability transition pore (mPTP). While pharmacologic cardioprotection has proved to effectively reduce infarct size
in the experimental models its clinical usefulness is problematic. In this context, a clinical exploitation of endogenous cardioprotective
mechanisms, known as ischaemic preconditioning and ischaemic postconditioning, emerges as an attractive therapeutic
alternative. This is particularly so because ischaemic pre- and post-conditionig seem to afford cardioprotection by
preventing reperfusion-induced deleterious opening of mPTP.
Kardiol Pol 2011; 69, supl. III: 59–66
Kardiol Pol 2011; 69, supl. III: 59–66
Keywords: myocardial reperfusion injurycardioprotectionischaemic preconditioningischaemic postconditioningmitochondrial permeability transition pore