Cardioprotection by ischemic postconditioning during surgical procedures

Abstract

Acute myocardial ischemic insult remains the most prevalent cause of postoperative mortality and morbidity despite major advances in cardiovascular medicine. Preoperative cardiac assessment and optimization, intraoperative anesthetic techniques and perioperative medical prophylaxis are all used to minimize cardiac morbidity. Ischemic postconditioning is one of the latest techniques to be added to this regime of cardioprotection. Currently still in its infancy, this technique seems to provide valuable cardioprotection via a novel set of pathways. We present a literature review of published animal and human studies on ischemic postconditioning, focusing on the advances made in understanding this phenomenon since its inception and the relevant clinical applications.

Keywords::

• cardiac arrhythmias
• cardioprotection
• ischemia
• ischemic reperfusion injury
• postconditioning
• preconditioning

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.