Failure of Preconditioning to Improve Postcardioplegia Stunning of Minimally Infarcted Hearts

Background. Ischemic preconditioning is an effective means of reducing myocardial infarct size, but its ability to attenuate stunning after an episode of surgically relevant global ischemia remains elusive. Likewise, the role played by adenosine in this setting has not been established conclusively. This study was designed to address these two issues.