Dartmouth researcher finds a new role for the benefits of oxygen

(The Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth) During a heart attack when the flow of oxygen-rich blood to a section of the heart is interrupted, and not quickly restored, heart muscle begins dying. Deprived of oxygen and other essential nutrients, cell death continues possibly leading to progressive loss of heart function and congestive heart failure. Dartmouth researchers found that dying heart cells still contain enough oxygen for metabolism, and additional short-term spikes of oxygen keep the ...