title: Biological perspective on "myocardial preconditioning".
abstract: There has been an upsurge of research on myocardial preconditioning because of its potential clinical application in areas such as cardiology, cardiac surgery, and transplantation. From a broad biological standpoint, a conceptual framework may help in both promoting understanding and suggesting future research paths. The living organism's tendency toward developing evolutionarily advantageous strategies has led to a fight or flight response, for which the authors consider preconditioning a component. Added to preconditioning, the production of stress proteins and altered myocardial states (especially that of "hibernating myocardium") can be seen as a series of biological strategies developed and maintained during evolution. An increased understanding of the mechanisms involved in the body's self-defense strategies should lead to better approaches, those in which we can help the cells, including those comprising the myocardium, to preserve themselves.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Tsang
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000166:cytology; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000503:physiopathology