Toward the Question of Ischemic Myocardial Dysfunction

The authors of the review have analyzed papers published on the problem of ischemic myocardial dysfunction. They begin with a definition of the term “ischemia” (derived from two Greek words: isch ō , meaning to hold back, and haima, meaning blood) - a condition at which the arterial blood flow is insufficient to provide enough oxygen to prevent intracellular respiration from shifting from the aerobic to the anaerobic form. The poor rate of ATP generation from this process causes a decrease in cellular ATP, a concomitant rise in ADP, and ultimately, to depression inotropic (systolic) and lusitropic (diastolic) function of the affected segments of the myocardium. But with such simplicity of basic concepts, the consequences of ischemia so diverse. Influence of an ischemia on myocardial function so unequally at different patients, which is almost impossible to find two identical cases (as in the case of fingerprints). It depends on the infinite variety of lesions of coronary arteries, reperfusion (time and completeness of restoration of blood flow) and reactions of a myocardium which, apparently, has considerable flexibility in its response. Ischemic myocardial dysfunction includes a number of discrete states, such as acute left ventricular failure in angina, acute myocardial infarction, ischemic cardiomyopathy, stunning, hibernation, pre- and postconditioning. There are widely differing underlying pathophysiologic states. The possibility exists that several of these states can coexist.