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Updated: Aug 21, 2025

3D Whole-heart Myocardial Tissue Analysis
Published on: April 12, 2017
Device-Based Approaches Targeting Cardioprotection in Myocardial Infarction: The Expanding Armamentarium of
Francisco José Romeo1, Renata Mazurek1, Tomoki Sakata1
1Cardiovascular Research Institute Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai New York NY.
Insights
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) treatments aim to reduce mortality and heart failure. This review explores device-based strategies to minimize infarct size and mitigate ischemia-reperfusion injury, addressing challenges in translating cardioprotective research.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Cardiovascular Research
- Regenerative Medicine
Background:
- Coronary reperfusion therapy is crucial for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) outcomes.
- Ischemia-reperfusion injury and microvascular obstruction remain significant challenges post-AMI.
- Translating promising cardioprotection research from preclinical to clinical settings has been difficult.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the significance of infarct size in determining clinical outcomes after AMI.
- To summarize novel device-based interventions for reducing infarct size in AMI.
- To highlight approaches targeting ischemia-reperfusion injury.
Main Methods:
- Review of current literature on infarct size reduction strategies post-AMI.
- Discussion of device-based interventions including mechanical cardiac unloading, myocardial cooling, coronary sinus interventions, supersaturated oxygen therapy, and vagal stimulation.
- Analysis of the potential of these interventions to modify myocardial biology before reperfusion.
Main Results:
- Infarct size is a critical determinant of clinical outcomes following AMI.
- Several device-based approaches show promise for infarct size reduction.
- These interventions offer novel strategies to target ischemia-reperfusion injury.
Conclusions:
- Device-based interventions represent a promising frontier for improving outcomes in acute myocardial infarction.
- Targeting ischemia-reperfusion injury through novel devices is essential for reducing infarct size and improving patient prognosis.
- Further research and clinical translation are needed to fully realize the potential of these cardioprotective strategies.
Abstract:
Coronary reperfusion therapy has played a pivotal role for reducing mortality and heart failure after acute myocardial infarction. Although several adjunctive approaches have been studied for reducing infarct size further, both ischemia-reperfusion injury and microvascular obstruction are still major contributors to both early and late clinical events after acute myocardial infarction. The progress in the field of cardioprotection has found several promising proof-of-concept preclinical studies. However, translation from bench to bedside has not been very successful. This comprehensive review discusses the importance of infarct size as a driver of clinical outcomes post-acute myocardial infarction and summarizes recent novel device-based approaches for infarct size reduction. Device-based interventions including mechanical cardiac unloading, myocardial cooling, coronary sinus interventions, supersaturated oxygen therapy, and vagal stimulation are discussed. Many of these approaches can modify ischemic myocardial biology before reperfusion and offer unique opportunities to target ischemia-reperfusion injury.
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