ISCHEMIC PRECONDITIONING - NATURES OWN CARDIOPROTECTIVE INTERVENTION

A brief exposure to ischemia paradoxically makes the heart better able to withstand a subsequent ischemic insult. This phenomenon has been termed ischemic preconditioning. Recent studies indicate that occupancy of A1-type adenosine receptors is the trigger for the preconditioning response, but the ultimate mechanism remains elusive. This review will examine what is known about ischemic preconditioning, including the scope and magnitude of the protection that is realized, its possible mechanism, and its clinical relevance.