Following the original large-scale randomized trials of aspirin and β-blockade, there have been a number of major advances in pharmacological and mechanical treatments for acute myocardial infarction. Despite this progress, myocardial infarction remains a major global cause of mortality and morbidity, driving a quest for novel treatments in this area. As the understanding of mitochondrial dynamics and the pathophysiology of reperfusion injury has evolved, the last three decades have seen advances in ischemic conditioning, pharmacological and metabolic cardioprotection, as well as biological and stem-cell therapies. The aim of this review is to provide a synopsis of adjunctive cardioprotective and regenerative therapies currently undergoing or entering early clinical trials in the treatment of patients with acute myocardial infarction.
Keywords: cooling; ischemia-reperfusion injury; ischemic conditioning; myocardial infarction; pharmacological conditioning; primary percutaneous coronary intervention; stem-cell therapy.