Remote Ischemic Preconditioning Attenuates Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury Induced Reductions in Vascular Function through Release of Endogenous Opioids.

Remote Ischemic Preconditioning (RIPC) is a therapy characterized by repeated bouts of limb ischemia and reperfusion. RIPC protects against ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI), and preclinical studies suggest that this is mediated through release of endogenous opioids. We aimed to interrogate the role of endogenous opioids in RIPC-signaling in humans, using an arm model of IRI.