The oxidative stress and the ischemia/reperfusion mechanism

pp 127-136

Abstract

Aside from its etiology (coronary thrombosis, persisting spasm, embolism, disruption of an atherosclerotic plaque, prolonged surgical ischemia, complication of an angioplasty, etc.), the resulting ischemia/reperfusion phenomena induce in the myocardium different disturbances, for instance the production of oxygen free radicals. A sufficient body of evidence involves, at least in a major part, the oxigen free radicals as being causal factors of the reperfusion myocardial damage. In this rewiev the biochemistry and the methodology of study of oxigen free radicals, as well as the ischemia/reperfusion physiopathogeny, postreperfusion arrhythmias and the experimental and clinical results obtained with antioxidants agents (superoxide dismutase, gluthation peroxidase, vitamins A and E, mannitol, deferoxamine and taurine) are detailed.