Argon-induced preconditioning and postconditioning in patients with myocardial ischemia

Introduction. The use of noble gases as organ-protective agents is a new method in various fields of medicine. This technique can be used effectively for myocardial protection and be widely introduced into clinical practice, including cardiac surgery. Mixtures of oxygen and argon in different concentrations are inhaled through the mask. Among other gases, argon stands out for its low cost, affordability, no narcotic effects, and no effects on hemodynamics.

The objective was to study effects of inhalation of argon oxygen mixtures for pre- (PreC) and post-conditioning (PostC) on cellular objects and laboratory animals, as well as in clinical studies.

Materials and methods. A review of literary sources among Russian- and English-language publications was conducted. Pubmed, Web of Science, RSCI databases were used.

Results. The protective effects of argon on cardiomyocytes and myocardium are confirmed. Argon does not affect brain and kidney cells. The cellular model shows that apoptosis rates are decreasing, and proliferation rates increase but mentions cases of necrosis. There is no information about the perioperative use of argon.

Conclusion. Based on our review, we found the problem to be relevant and further research on the effects of oxygen-argon mixtures is needed, including their potential use in clinical practice with cardioprotective purposes.

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