L-carnitine for the treatment of acute myocardial infarction.
Although the therapeutic strategies available for treating acute myocardial infarction (AMI) have evolved dramatically in recent decades, coronary artery disease remains the leading cause of death in our society, and the rates of recurrent myocardial infarction and mortality are still unacceptably high. Therefore, exploration of alternative therapeutic strategies for AMI is of utmost importance. One such strategy is to target metabolic pathways via L-carnitine supplementation. L-carnitine is a physiologically essential metabolic cofactor that has been shown to provide a plethora of benefits when administered after AMI. L-carnitine has been shown to lessen infarct size, to reduce ventricular arrhythmias, left ventricular dilation, and heart failure incidence, as well as improve survival. These benefits may, in part, be related to its ability to boost glucose oxidation in ischemic tissues, while moderating increases in fatty acyl-coenzyme A levels that can impair mitochondrial efficiency and promote oxidative stress and inflammation. This article summarizes the evidence pertinent to the therapeutic use of L-carnitine for AMI.
Mid America Heart Institute at Saint Luke's Hospital, Kansas City, MO.
James J
JJ
Dinicolantonio
Shifa College of Medicine, Islamabad, Pakistan.
Asfandyar K
AK
Niazi
NutriGuard Research, Inc, Encinitas, CA.
Mark F
MF
McCarty
John Ochsner Heart and Vascular Institute, Ochsner Clinical School, the University of Queensland School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, and Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, LA.
Carl J
CJ
Lavie
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Ioannina Medical School, Ioannina, Greece.
Evangelos
E
Liberopoulos
Mid America Heart Institute at Saint Luke's Hospital, Kansas City, MO.
James H
JH
O'Keefe
D000214:Acyl Coenzyme A / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002331:Carnitine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000214:Acyl Coenzyme A; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents; D005947:Glucose; D002331:Carnitine