RATIONALE During reperfusion of ischemic myocardium, a burst of hydroxyl radicals (OH) induces contractile dysfunction ("myocardial stunning"), and OH in the plasma of patients after myocardial infarction predict the development of heart failure. The effects of OH on myocardial function in patients with heart failure; however, have never been assessed. Furthermore, although ATP-dependent K+ cha...

In phase I of this study, the rate of protein synthesis was measured by the incorporation of [3H]leucine into the protein pool in the heart of conscious rabbits. At 2 h after ischemic preconditioning (PC) with six 4-min occlusion/4-min reperfusion (O/R) cycles ( group II), the [3H]leucine content in the ischemic-reperfused region was increased by 82% compared with that in controls ( group I), i...

BACKGROUND Myocardial stunning may cause prolonged left ventricular dysfunction after exercise-induced ischemia that can be attenuated by calcium antagonists in animal models. To assess their effects in humans, we performed a randomized, double-blind crossover study comparing the calcium antagonist amlodipine (10 mg once daily) versus isosorbide mononitrate (ISMN, 50 mg once daily) on postexerc...

Brief coronary artery occlusion (CAO) and reperfusion induce myocardial stunning and late preconditioning. Postsystolic wall thickening (PSWT) also develops with CAO and reperfusion. However, the time course of PSWT during stunning and the regional function pattern of the preconditioned myocardium remain unknown. The goal of this study was to investigate the evolution of PSWT during myocardial ...

The role of ATP-sensitive potassium (K(ATP)) channels in the late phase of ischemic preconditioning (PC) remains unclear. Furthermore, it is unknown whether K(ATP) channels serve as end effectors both for late PC against infarction and against stunning. Thus, in phase I of this study, conscious rabbits underwent a 30-min coronary occlusion (O) followed by 72 h of reperfusion (R) with or without...

Myocardial ischemia (MI) resulting in infarction is an important cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Acute ischaemia rapidly impairs myocardial contractile function. Myocardial dysfunction persisting for several hours after transient non-lethal ischaemia, eventually resulting in full functional recovery is termed as myocardial stunning. Hibernation is now thought to be the consequence o...

A 78-year-old woman was admitted to hospital with central chest pain and the electrocardiographic and cardiac marker changes typical of acute anterior myocardial infarction. Coronary angiography revealed normal epicardial coronary arteries, and left ventriculography showed apical akinesis as well as basal hyperkinesis. This is a case of transient left ventricular apical ballooning or takotsubo ...

Heart Failure and Functional Recovery Heart failure is a leading cause of healthcare expenditures, hospitalization, and mortality in developed countries, and its burden is growing globally. With the aging of the population and increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, including hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and obesity, the current heart failure epidemic is guaranteed to significantly worse...