CME Multimedia Activities

July 2010

Mechanisms and Consequences of Cardiac Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury: Insights and Evidence to Improve Outcomes
Presenters: Roberta A. Gottlieb, MD, Robert M. Mentzer, Jr., MD, and Frank W. Sellke, MD

Cardiologists and cardiac surgeons have long understood the need for cardioprotection to preserve the viability of myocardium during ischemia and reperfusion. Research has shed much light on the mechanisms of cell injury and cell death in both ischemia and the reperfusion-associated pathologies. Inadequate myocardial protection and ischemia/reperfusion injury are major problems associated with CABG surgery making the need for cardioprotection necessary and urgent. It is the aim of this case-based, interactive CME activity to provide clinicians with an understanding of the magnitude of ischemia/reperfusion injury and its consequences, the newest information on the various pathways and mechanisms of ischemia/reperfusion injury, and an overview of the ongoing research into cardioprotective options.

Commercial Support: Merck
Review and Sponsorship: This multimedia activity was peer reviewed by The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery and The American Journal of Cardiology® and jointly sponsored by Purdue University College of Pharmacy and Health Education Alliance, Inc.