Adenosine receptors may be important determinants of intrinsic ischemic tolerance. Genetically modified mice were used to examine effects of global A1 adenosine receptor (A1AR) knockout (KO) on function and ischemic tolerance in perfused mouse hearts. Baseline contractile function and heart rate were unaltered by A1AR KO, which was shown to abolish the negative chronotropic effects of 2-chloroa...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Postischemic delayed neuronal death (DND) of hippocampal CA1 neurons has been suggested to occur as a result of formation of calcium-permeable alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid (AMPA) receptors lacking the GluR2 subunit (GluR2 hypothesis). DND can be prevented by a short tolerance-inducing ischemic period. The present study was designed to assess w...

Stroke is the second leading cause of death and the primary cause of disability in humans. The phenomenon of ischemic tolerance perfectly describes the quote: “What does not kill you makes you stronger.’’ Ischemic preor postconditioning is actually the strongest known procedure to prevent or reverse delayed neuronal death. It works specifically in sensitive vulnerable neuronal populations, whic...

It has long been recognized that a brief episode of myocardial ischemia causes reversible myocyte injury, "reversible" being defined by the fact that early restoration of arterial flow prevents infarction and permits eventual restoration of normal myocardial structure, function, and metabolism. However, numerous studies during the last 15 years1-5 have revealed that complete recovery is not imm...

Organic nitrates are commonly used in angina pectoris and ischemic cardiomyopathy. In order to optimize their effectiveness and patient convenience, several aspects must be observed. Adequate doses, suitable dosage forms and asymmetric pattern of usage to prevent the nitrate tolerance are some factors that a physician must be familiar with. The objective of the present study was to define the p...

physiologic responses to its environment is important for survival. Certain organs respond to sub-lethal exposures to hypoxia or ischemia by a variety of physiologic mechanisms. Some of these mechanisms induce a greater tolerance to a subsequent exposure to hypoxia or ischemia. This phenomenon is described as ischemic or hypoxic preconditioning.1,2 It is nature’s “what doesn’t kill you makes yo...