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Myocardial ischemia and subsequent reperfusion of the ischemic myocardium represent complex phenomena encompassing numerous physiological processes. This book aims at enhancing our understanding of these processes and stresses recent important developments in this very active area of research. The concise, state-of-the-art reviews cover recent advances in many fields important to the area of myocardial ischemia and reperfusion including physiology, pathology, pharmacology, biochemistry and molecular biology with reference to clinical relevance and applicability of these findings. Major areas which are highlighted include vascular mechanisms resulting in myocardial ischemia, cellular events in the ischemic, postinfarcted and reperfused myocardium as well as new exciting developments in cardiac protection that involve both novel pharmacological approaches as well as endogenous cardioprotective mechanisms such as preconditioning. Aimed at both the basic and clinical cardiovascular investigator, the book comprehensively reviews the rapid progress made in recent years in understanding the etiology of myocardial ischemia and reperfusion. It will further serve as an authoritative reference for all those interested in learning about the important developments in the treatment of myocardial ischemic and reperfusion disorders.

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Nitric oxide and other free radicals in cardiac physiology and pathology.- Neural regulation of coronary vascular resistance: Role of nitric oxide in reflex cholinergic coronary vasodilation in normal and pathophysiologic states.- The potential of antioxidants to prevent atherosclerosis development and its clinical manifestations.- Nitric oxide in coronary artery disease: Roles in atherosclerosis, myocardial reperfusion and heart failure.- The roles of free radicals, peroxides and oxidized lipoproteins in second messenger system dysfunction.- Nitric oxide: An endogenous cardioprotectant?.- Ionic and electrophysiological aspects in myocardial ischemia and reperfusion.- Intracellular calcium regulatory systems during ischemia and reperfusion.- The pH paradox in ischemia-reperfusion injury to cardiac myocytes.- Electrophysiological responses to ischemia and reperfusion.- Cellular mechanisms of cardiac arrhythmias in the ischemic and reperfused heart.- Biochemical factors in myocardial ischemia and reperfusion.- Bioenergetics, ischemic contracture and reperfusion injury.- Lipid metabolism in the ischemic and reperfused heart.- Signal transduction mechanisms in the ischemic and reperfused myocardium.- Hormonal, autocrine, and paracrine factors in myocardial ischemia and reperfusion.- The role of endothelins in cardiac function in health and disease.- Role of kinins in myocardial ischemia.- Role of eicosanoids in the ischemic and reperfused myocardium.- The role of the neutrophil in myocardial ischemia and reperfusion.- Role of the sympathetic nervous system in the ischemic and reperfused heart.- Protection strategies against myocardial ischemia and reperfusion.- Sodium-hydrogen exchange in myocardial ischemia and reperfusion: A critical determinant of injury?.- The role of ATP-sensitive potassium channels in myocardial ischemia: Pharmacology and implications for the future.- Cardioprotective actions of adenosine and adenosine analogs.- Myocardial protection for cardiac surgery.- Endogenous cardioprotective adaptive mechanisms.- Ischemic preconditioning against infarction: Its mechanism and clinical implications.- The molecular basis of adaptation to ischemia in the heart: The role of stress proteins and antioxidants in the ischemic and reperfused heart.- Ischemia and reperfusion in the diabetic and hypertrophied myocardium.- Response to ischemia and reperfusion by the diabetic heart.- Ischemia and reperfusion injury in the hypertrophied heart.- The stunned and hibernating myocardium.- Myocardial stunning: A post-ischemic syndrome with delayed recovery.- The hibernating myocardium.- Post-infarction myocardial responses.- Mechanisms of subcellular remodelling in post-infarct heart failure.- Tissue angiotensin II and myocardial infarction.- Structural remodeling of the infarcted rat heart.- Pharmacological intervention in post-infarction wound healing.

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