Lizard spit and reperfusion injury.

lthough the incidence of ST-segment elevation myocarial infarction (STEMI) is declining in industrialized naions, there are still an estimated 500,000 events annually in he U.S. (1). Furthermore, the in-hospital mortality is 6% to %, and over 15% of survivors to discharge experience a ecurrent cardiovascular event by 6 months (2). Infarct size s the key determinant of outcome, and prompt reperfusion f the occluded epicardial artery is imperative to reduce nfarction volume and improve mortality and morbidity. aradoxically, however, reperfusion seems to contribute to dditional myocardial damage over and above that caused by he original ischemic insult. This additional damage is nown as reperfusion injury and if it could be prevented an lready exemplary treatment would be further improved.