What is Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury?
A heart attack is usually caused by blockage of an artery supplying the heart. Muscle cells beyond the block are then deprived of oxygen and nutrients. This ischemia leads to cell death- “myocardial infarction”– which may be fatal. Cardiac surgeries and interventional procedures to restore blood flow may temporarily increase ischemia, and paradoxically result in “reperfusion injury” which can exceed the original ischemic damage. Thus the sequence of events is known as “ischemia-reperfusion” injury. This leads to extended hospital stay and limits recovery in patients undergoing cardiac surgeries and interventional procedures. Such complications add thousands to hospital costs.
