title: Physiology and pharmacology of myocardial preconditioning.
abstract: Perioperative myocardial ischemia and infarction are not only major sources of morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing surgery but also important causes of prolonged hospital stay and resource utilization. Ischemic and pharmacological preconditioning and postconditioning have been known for more than two decades to provide protection against myocardial ischemia and reperfusion and limit myocardial infarct size in many experimental animal models, as well as in clinical studies (1-3). This paper will review the physiology and pharmacology of ischemic and drug-induced preconditioning and postconditioning of the myocardium with special emphasis on the mechanisms by which volatile anesthetics provide myocardial protection. Insights gained from animal and clinical studies will be presented and reviewed and recommendations for the use of perioperative anesthetics and medications will be given.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, University of Virginia Health Center, Charlottesville, VA 22908-0710, USA. jr5ef@virginia.edu
authors.forename: Jacob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Raphael
mesh_terms: D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D019157:Ischemic Preconditioning, Myocardial / Q000379:methods*; D007902:Length of Stay; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015428:Myocardial Reperfusion Injury / Q000517:prevention & control; D019990:Perioperative Care / Q000379:methods; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation