MYOCARDIAL REPERFUSION - SALVATION OR DAN GER FOR CARDIAC-MUSCLE

During most of our decade myocardial ischemia was regarded as an all-o r-nothing phenomenon, either resulting in myocardial necrosis in case of severe and prolonged ischemia, or in negligible changes when ischem ia was transient and mild. This view has been challenged in the wake o f new discoveries during the last 15 years which indicate that depress ed myocardial contractility with preserved viability may exist during or following ischemic insults. The clinical and pathophysiologic chara cteristics of these ischemic myocardial syndromes - stunning, hibernat ion and preconditioning - are discussed in the present overview.