The most effective treatment for reducing ischemic damage in patients with acute myocardial infarction is timely and effective revascularization. Unfortunately, restoration of blood flow after occlusion of a coronary artery paradoxically induces detrimental effects, which are summarized as a phenomenon coined "reperfusion injury." Since Braunwald described myocardial reperfusion as a double-edged sword in 1985 and stated that the idea of reducing infarct size was a long time coming, this issue has been the focus of basic and clinical research for over three decades now.