A myocardial ischemia- and reperfusion-induced injury is mediated by reactive oxygen species released from blood platelets.

In recent experimental studies, blood platelets have been found to exhibit some cardiodepressive effects in ischemic and reperfused guinea pig hearts independent of thrombus formation. These effects seemed to be mediated by reactive oxygen species (ROS). However, the source of these ROS - platelets or heart - remained still unknown.