Less oxidative stress occurs during off-pump than on-pump coronary artery bypass graft (CABG)
surgery but warm ischaemia-reperfusion injury may occur following transient coronary artery
clamping. The aim of this study was to compare the preventive effects of diltiazem and
N-acetylcysteine (NAC), alone or in combination, on biomarkers of myocardial damage and
oxidative stress during off-pump CABG surgery.