title: Postconditioning in man.
abstract: Acute myocardial infarction is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in industrialized countries. Ischemic postconditioning, that consists of repeated brief episodes of ischemia-reperfusion performed just after reflow following a prolonged ischemic insult, dramatically reduces infarct size in animal models. Recent data indicate that it might involve the activation of the PI3-kinase-Akt-eNOS as well as PKC signalling pathways and inhibition of the opening of the permeability transition pore. A recent clinical study demonstrated that postconditioning protects the human heart. Repeated brief episodes of inflation-deflation of the angioplasty balloon performed immediately after re-opening of the culprit coronary artery reduced infarct size by 36%. Additional studies are required to determine whether infarct size limitation by postconditioning would improve functional recovery as well as patient's outcome. Further research is needed to find new pharmacological agents that would mimick postconditioning in order to treat all patients with ongoing acute myocardial infarction.
authors.affiliation: Hôpital Cardiologique and Pneumologique Louis Pradel, Hospices Civils de Lyon, 59 Boulevard Pinel, 69394 Lyon cedex 03, France.
authors.forename: Hélène
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Thibault
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Piot
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ovize
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D019157:Ischemic Preconditioning, Myocardial; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009206:Myocardium; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D011493:Protein Kinase C; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D011493:Protein Kinase C