The protective effects of limb ischemic preconditioning on rabbit heart

Objective: To observe the effects of limb ischemic preconditioning (IPC) on ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury of rabbit heart.Methods: On the model of in vivo rabbit heart subjected to I/R, IPC was performed by transient occluding the femoral arteries for 5 min followed by reperfusion for 5 min three times prior to I/R. The effects of IPC on lactatic dehydrogenase (LDH) releasine and myocardial infarction size induced by I/R were measured, and compared with the results of heart IPC Only.Results: Both limb and heart preconditioning significantly reduced myocadial infarct size and leakage of LDH (P＜0. 01).Conclusion: Limb IPC has a protective effect on myocardial infarct size induced by I/R. The protective effectiveness is similar to that of heart ischemic preconditioning.