Minimizing damage after a heart attack.

• Position: Cardiovascular System

For years, scientists have tried to determine why the French have such a low rate of cardiovascular disease, given the amount of fat consumed in their diets. Red wine has been identified as one of the suspects in maintaining a healthy heart, but now a University of Missouri-Columbia researcher has found that alcohol from any source--in moderation not only maintains a healthy heart, but can reduce the damage to affected tissue following a heart attack.

When such an attack occurs, blood flow is reduced to several areas of the body. When the needed supply is reestablished, the blood carries white cells to the sections damaged by the reduction in blood delivery. These act like miniature hand grenades as they stick to the walls of the arteries and release toxic chemicals into the damaged tissues, causing additional cell death.

"Following a heart attack, physicians try to establish reperfusion, or normalize the blood flow in the body," explains Ron Korthuis, distinguished professor and chair of medical pharmacology and physiology. "The damaged tissues begin releasing a variety of molecules that attract the white blood cells to the damaged areas. When the white blood cells arrive, they attach to the adhesion molecules on the blood vessel walls and then start destroying the...