Relationship between Sympatico-Adrenal and Opioid Systems as a Factor Determining the Degree of Stress Heart Damage

The present paper has analyzed relationship between sympatico-adrenal and opioid systems in the pathogenesis of stress heart damage. Based on the our own results and other investigator data the authors make a conclusion that namely relationship between opioid and sympatico-adrenal systems both on the level of the brain and on the periphery determinates a degree of the heart resistance to the injury action of severe stress. Myocardial protection by opioids at stress was found to be mediated by the peripheral μ-opioid receptors and was associated with decrease in an activity of sympatico-adrenal system and a inhibition of its effector part. On contrary central opioid system activation leads to an increase in stress heart damage via an increase in sympatical influence on the myocardium.