Adenosine receptors as therapeutic targets for the treatment of myocardial infarction and its complications. Part II. Post-myocardial infarction heart failure and arrhythmias

For many years, researchers have studied the cardioprotective properties of adenosine and attempted to use the compound in the treatment of myocardial infarction. Adenosine exhibits many other effects, as well, which can be helpful in treating complications of myocardial infarction. Over the last decade, the results of over a dozen studies conducted on animal models evaluating the possibility of using adenosine receptor agonists and antagonists in the prevention and treatment of chronic heart failure and arrhythmias after myocardial infarction have been published. This is particularly important in view of the increasing number of patients suffering from such complications, associated with increased survival rates among patients due to advancements in diagnosis and treatment of myocardial infarction itself. Current treatments for chronic heart failure and arrhythmias are mainly symptomatic and frequently are not satisfactorily effective. Cardiac remodeling, an important mechanism behind the pathogenesis of post-myocardial infarction heart failure and arrhythmias, is a promising therapeutic target.

This review presents current reports on the use of adenosine receptor agonists and antagonists as modulators of cardiac remodeling in post-myocardial infarction heart failure and arrhythmias.