Tolerance and resistance of myocardium to anoxia: experimental studies.

We shall emphasize the notion of wide variability in the tolerance and resistance to anoxia of the myocardium, although the most important parameters are temperature and time. They can be modified widely by accompanying physical or biochemical conditions: --Cardiac distension and drugs inducing cardiac arrest; --Resuscitative perfusion; --The effect of some biochemical components is more likely explained by their possible action on the mitochondriae (glyoxilic acid-Isoproterenol). The study of the mitochondriae alone can explain the different behaviours of hearts subjected to anoxia in various situations.