title: Protection of the myocardium by ischaemic preconditioning: mechanisms and therapeutic implications.
abstract: Preconditioning of the heart with brief periods of ischaemia protects the myocardium for up to 90 min against a more sustained ischaemic injury. A "second window of protection" occurs 24 hr after preconditioning with ischaemia. The cardioprotective effects of ischaemic preconditioning involve the release of mediators (adenosine, bradykinin, catecholamines, prostaglandins, endothelin-1), which either alone or in concert activate protein kinase C, which translocates to the cell membrane. This manuscript reviews (i) the cardioprotective effects of ischaemic preconditioning, (ii) the underlying mechanisms, (iii) the effects of ischaemic preconditioning of other tissues (skeletal muscle, brain and kidney), and (iv) the clinical implications.
authors.affiliation: William Harvey Research Institute, St. Bartholomew's Hospital Medical College, London, UK.
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Millar
authors.forename: G F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Baxter
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Thiemermann
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009928:Organ Specificity; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011941:Receptors, Adrenergic
chemical_list: D011941:Receptors, Adrenergic; D011493:Protein Kinase C