The ATP-sensitive potassium channel (KATP) was discovered in 1983. Since then, an enormous amount of research has been undertaken to characterize it in detail. This volume consolidates both the current knowledge and most recent advances on the subject, and its relationship to myocardial protection. To this end, the editors have assembled investigators at the forefront of ongoing basic and clinical research to provide scholarly and candid comments concerning each of the pertinent issues, including: a comprehensive review of the biology of the channel with respect to the structure-activity relationship as well as overall chemistry of the channel; the role of opening this channel and its effect on smooth muscle (covering both the effects on myocardial stunning and its ability to protect against myocardial infarction); the relationship of KATP channel opening and the protection to the myocardium afforded by the phenomenon of ischemic preconditioning; the relationship between the KATP channel and electrophysiological consequences with specific reference to arrhythmogenicity; and the clinical implications of the use of agents that mimic the opening of this channel, with reference to its protective nature and its use in the treatment of angina. Audience: Clinicians and basic scientists who have a direct interest in the KATP channel as well as those groups who are interested in the entire concept of myocardial protection and its relationship to academic and clinical medicine.

Interest in the ability of myocardium to adapt to ischaemic stress has continued to grow since the discovery of ischaemic preconditioning in 1986. In 1993, two reports heralded the recognition of a delayed preconditioning response in the heart, now commonly known as the second window' of protection. Since then, a number of studies have described the ability of delayed preconditioning and related adaptive phenomena to protect against a variety of pathologies in the ischaemic and reperfused myocardium. Our understanding of the cellular mechanisms of sub-acute adaptive cardioprotection has advanced considerably during this period. This compilation of state-of-the-art reviews by those who have made significant contributions to this field provides detailed and critical analysis of this research, from molecular basis to potential clinical relevance. The book aims to provide an authoritative, comprehensive and thoroughly up-to-date overview for scientists and clinicians engaged in, or observing, this rapidly-developing area of heart research. It will also be of interest to those engaged in research on other tissues where ischaemia-reperfusion pathology is of major concern.

Much has been written about reperfusion injury in the past decade but unfortunately the information has been generally presented in the form of original specialist papers and little if any integral publication exists on the topic, summarising and analysing the clinical impact of the condition and its management. The pathophysiology and molecular mechanisms of reperfusion injury are complex and, regarding diagnosis, individual diagnostic techniques have been proposed but without a proper assessment of the relative values of these methods. A publication dealing with integral diagnostic strategies would be welcome by the managing physician. Management of the condition is also problematic, as strategies that appear to work in the experimental models do not translate into beneficial interventions in patients. There is a need for these issues to be addressed and discussed in a monographic fashion. Management of Myocardial Reperfusion Injury will tackle these issues in a modern and systematic way and the information will be delivered in a fashion that will be appealing to the reader.

Ischemic Preconditioning: The Concept of Endogenous Cardioprotection consolidates, in one volume, both current knowledge and the most recent advances in ischemic preconditioning. The editors have invited investigators at the forefront of ongoing research to provide their scholarly and candid comments concerning each of these issues. This volume includes a comprehensive review of infarct size reduction with ischemic preconditioning, and the most recent data on the effects of preconditioning on ischemia and reperfusion-induced arrhythmias, myocardial metabolism, contractile function, and the coronary vasculature. The role of altered energy metabolism, stress-induced proteins, ATP-sensitive potassium channels, and adenosine -- the major hypotheses that have been proposed to explain the cardioprotective effects of ischemic preconditioning -- are critically reviewed by investigators who have been instrumental in developing these concepts. In addition, the editors raise the intriguing possibility that ischemic preconditioning may be more than simply a laboratory curiosity. Using a multidisciplinary approach, this volume challenges the readers to contribute their own expertise to address the unanswered questions concerning this endogenous, cardioprotective phenomenon.

Much has been written about reperfusion injury in the past decade but unfortunately the information has been generally presented in the form of original specialist papers and little if any integral publication exists on the topic, summarising and analysing the clinical impact of the condition and its management. The pathophysiology and molecular mechanisms of reperfusion injury are complex and, regarding diagnosis, individual diagnostic techniques have been proposed but without a proper assessment of the relative values of these methods. A publication dealing with integral diagnostic strategies would be welcome by the managing physician. Management of the condition is also problematic, as strategies that appear to work in the experimental models do not translate into beneficial interventions in patients. There is a need for these issues to be addressed and discussed in a monographic fashion. Management of Myocardial Reperfusion Injury will tackle these issues in a modern and systematic way and the information will be delivered in a fashion that will be appealing to the reader.

Interest in the ability of myocardium to adapt to ischaemic stress has continued to grow since the discovery of ischaemic preconditioning in 1986. In 1993, two reports heralded the recognition of a delayed preconditioning response in the heart, now commonly known as the second window' of protection. Since then, a number of studies have described the ability of delayed preconditioning and related adaptive phenomena to protect against a variety of pathologies in the ischaemic and reperfused myocardium. Our understanding of the cellular mechanisms of sub-acute adaptive cardioprotection has advanced considerably during this period. This compilation of state-of-the-art reviews by those who have made significant contributions to this field provides detailed and critical analysis of this research, from molecular basis to potential clinical relevance. The book aims to provide an authoritative, comprehensive and thoroughly up-to-date overview for scientists and clinicians engaged in, or observing, this rapidly-developing area of heart research. It will also be of interest to those engaged in research on other tissues where ischaemia-reperfusion pathology is of major concern.

Ischemic Preconditioning: The Concept of Endogenous Cardioprotection consolidates, in one volume, both current knowledge and the most recent advances in ischemic preconditioning. The editors have invited investigators at the forefront of ongoing research to provide their scholarly and candid comments concerning each of these issues. This volume includes a comprehensive review of infarct size reduction with ischemic preconditioning, and the most recent data on the effects of preconditioning on ischemia and reperfusion-induced arrhythmias, myocardial metabolism, contractile function, and the coronary vasculature. The role of altered energy metabolism, stress-induced proteins, ATP-sensitive potassium channels, and adenosine -- the major hypotheses that have been proposed to explain the cardioprotective effects of ischemic preconditioning -- are critically reviewed by investigators who have been instrumental in developing these concepts. In addition, the editors raise the intriguing possibility that ischemic preconditioning may be more than simply a laboratory curiosity. Using a multidisciplinary approach, this volume challenges the readers to contribute their own expertise to address the unanswered questions concerning this endogenous, cardioprotective phenomenon.

The ATP-sensitive potassium channel (KATP) was discovered in 1983. Since then, an enormous amount of research has been undertaken to characterize it in detail. This volume consolidates both the current knowledge and most recent advances on the subject, and its relationship to myocardial protection. To this end, the editors have assembled investigators at the forefront of ongoing basic and clinical research to provide scholarly and candid comments concerning each of the pertinent issues, including: a comprehensive review of the biology of the channel with respect to the structure-activity relationship as well as overall chemistry of the channel; the role of opening this channel and its effect on smooth muscle (covering both the effects on myocardial stunning and its ability to protect against myocardial infarction); the relationship of KATP channel opening and the protection to the myocardium afforded by the phenomenon of ischemic preconditioning; the relationship between the KATP channel and electrophysiological consequences with specific reference to arrhythmogenicity; and the clinical implications of the use of agents that mimic the opening of this channel, with reference to its protective nature and its use in the treatment of angina. Audience: Clinicians and basic scientists who have a direct interest in the KATP channel as well as those groups who are interested in the entire concept of myocardial protection and its relationship to academic and clinical medicine.