Cellular protection in acute myocardial infarction with ST-segment elevation

About half of the patients with acute myocardial infarction who undergo successful fibrinolytic treatment or primary percutaneous coronary artery rechanneling continue to have abnormal microcirculatory blood flow. Various medications have been designed to protect the myocardial cell and have been investigated in human beings as coadjuvants to rechanneling procedures. Overall, they can be divided into: a) medications that act on the inflammatory response triggered by ischemia/reperfusion, such as anti-CD11/CD18 antibodies and anti-complement, and b) medications that enhance metabolic tolerance, such as glucose-insulin-potassium solution and inhibitors of the Na+/H+ ion exchange system. Despite the importance of the problem, the results so far obtained have been inconclusive and it was concluded that new studies are needed. Some of these studies have already been undertaken in attempt to find a satisfactory response to the question.