Pathobiology of Acute Myocardial Ischemia

Abstract
Reperfusion remains the sole proven means for limiting infarct size, but it may exact a pathologic price. Several observations support the belief that restoration of blood flow may promote the structural disruption of myocytes irreversibly injured by antecedent ischemia. If so, reperfusion would hasten cell death, in effect administering the coup de grace to myocardial tissue.