Ricerc@Sapienza

The use of O2 in routine clinical management of Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) has been a well-established practice for over a century. However the administration of high O2 concentrations in patients with myocardial infarction to increase the usable amount of oxygen concentration to the ischemic myocardium and thereby reduce the ischemic area is not validated. Furthermore recent studies suggested that hyperoxia can cause cardiac damage through the increased production of reactive oxygen species and consequent dysregulation of autophagic status and apoptosis activation.
In this uncertain scenario, we aim to assess the impact of the oxygen administration on myocardial injury in patients presented with ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and undergoing percutaneous coronary revascularization by primary angioplasty (PTCA) . The results of this study will potentially contribute to choose the most efficient use of oxygen in both the pre-hospital and hospital settings.