Physiopathology of myocardial stunning

Abstract

Myocardial stunning is defined as a reversible contractile dysfunction that occurs after a brief myocardial ischemia while regional myocardial blood flows are normal and no necrosis is observed. Initially described experimentally, this phenomenon has been assessed in several pathological situations in humans. The related mechanisms are complex and involve production of radical oxygen species, abnormal calcium homeostasis, and altered excitation-contraction coupling. Finally, the investigation of myocardial stunning has allowed to better understand another condition that occurs with left ventricular dysfunction, called hibernating myocardium. It now seems that myocardial stunning and hibernation are closely linked.