Does nitrite reduce ischaemia-reperfusion injury in patients with acute ST segment elevation myocardial infarction?

心脏病发作很常见，是由于为心脏供血的动脉阻塞所致。相关的氧气供应不足导致由该动脉供应的心肌死亡。及时打开阻塞的动脉（例如通过动脉中的球囊膨胀）限制了这种损伤的程度。然而，血流的恢复本身会对心肌造成一定程度的损伤。在这项研究中，我们计划调查在打开阻塞的动脉之前立即给心脏病发作的患者服用一种名为亚硝酸钠的药物是否会减少对心肌的损害。这一点很重要，因为当大量心肌受损时，患者有发生心力衰竭的风险，心力衰竭是一种与呼吸困难和生存率低相关的疾病。

Heart attacks are common and are due to a blockage of one of the arteries that supply the heart with blood. The associated lack of oxygen supply causes death of the heart muscle supplied by this artery. Prompt opening of the blocked artery (eg by inflation of a balloon in the artery) limits the extent of this damage. However, the restoration of blood flow itself causes a degree of damage to the heart muscle. In this study we plan to investigate whether a drug called sodium nitrite given to patients suffering from heart attacks immediately before opening the blocked artery will reduce the damage to the heart muscle. This is important because when a large amount of heart muscle is damaged the patient is at risk of developing heart failure a condition associated with breathlessness and a poor survival.