The Need for Cardiovascular Bioenergetics to Solve Problems in Heart Surgery or What Is the Term “Ischemia” About?

The impairment of biological tissue caused by ischemia is a key area of research in both natural sciences and medical research. The utilization of oxygen in the process of tissue respiration is closely linked to mitochondrial function, i.e., the directed transfer of electrons between the enzyme complexes of the respiratory chain. The Cytochrome c oxidase, complex IV of the ETC, represents the so-called “rate-limiting step.” Kadenbach’s theory has described different activity states of this enzyme, which are crucial for the production of oxygen radicals. This mechanism is an important part of understanding ischemic damage to the heart.