Heart Beat: Chilling out
Heart Beat
Cooling slows chemical reactions and cell metabolism. This reduces a tissue's need for oxygen. Think of it as artificially induced hibernation. Surgeons have long used this trick to protect the heart, brain, and other organs during open-heart surgery. A handful of medical centers have used rapid cooling for people resuscitated after a cardiac arrest. Researchers are testing its benefits, and risks, during emergency artery-opening angioplasty to halt a heart attack. It is also being eyed as a way to protect the brain during and after a stroke.
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