Cell death forms in myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury and their potential clinical applications

Timely and effective reperfusion therapy is an effective means of relieving ischemic damage to cardiomyocytes and is also the most commonly used treatment for clinical ischemic heart disease. However, while reperfusion saves the ischemic myocardium, the explosive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and calcium overload can cause additional damage to cardiac tissue cells. This review describes the pathophysiological mechanisms of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury and the forms of myocardial tissue cell death mediated by the reperfusion process, including ferroptosis, pyroptosis, and necroptosis. We also report the latest research progress in treating myocardial reperfusion injury by targeting ferroptosis, pyroptosis, and necroptosis. The aim is to understand the mechanism of myocardial reperfusion injury better and provide new treatment ideas to reduce myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury.