[Postconditioning in acute myocardial infarction: Primary angioplasty revisited?]

Early reperfusion of ischemic myocardium is the mean to improve prognosis of acute myocardial infarction. Nevertheless, reperfusion injury due to immediate acidosis correction and subsequent Ca(2+) overload results in formation of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore. The consequence is the death of viable myocardium due to onconecrosis and apoptosis. Mechanical (Stuttering reperfusion) or pharmacological postconditioning (cyclosporine A, adenosine…) is able to prevent reperfusion injury resulting in more myocardial salvage.