While the underlying mechanisms may be several, including improved myocardial energy production efficiency during acute ischemia by high-dose glucose substituting depleted myocardial potassium levels during ischemia and suppression of circulating levels and myocardial uptake of free fatty acids, which are toxic to ischemic myocardium by insulin, the increased O-GlcNAcylation may be an additional mechanism that may explain the beneficial effects of GIK solution. This evidence concerns the gene INS and ischemia.