The phenomenon of ischemic postconditioning of the heart

This review analyzes reports on the question of ischemic postconditioning of the heart. The review shows that postconditioning decreases infarct size, prevents cardiomyocyte apoptosis, improves cardiac contractility during the reperfusion period, increases the tolerance of the heart to the arrhythmogenic action of reperfusion, prevents invasion of neutrophils into the reperfused heart, prevents reperfusion-related endothelial dysfunction, and suppresses reperfusion-related oxidative stress in the myocardium.