Medical and cellular implications of stunning, hibernation, and preconditioning: An NHLBI workshop

During the last 15 years, the concepts of stunning, hibernating, and preconditioning have emerged as new phenomena that relate to myocardial ischemia/reperfusion. Stunning and hibernation have the potential to contribute to heart failure, and clinicians are becoming increasingly aware of these phenomena. In particular, preconditioning has the potential to lead to new therapies for a variety of ischemic syndromes. The participants at this NHLBI workshop strove to consider numerous factors in producing a list of promising yet practical opportunities to advance our understanding of these ischemic conditions. The recommendations emerging from the workshop are designed as a guide to the NHLBI's Heart Research Program in planning support of studies addressing stunning, hibernation, and preconditioning and their roles in ischemia, heart failure, and arrhythmia. It is hoped that future efforts in this area will ultimately improve the national cardiovascular health.