 Undergoing heart surgery poses many potential risks. One of the most common complications associated with this type of surgery, for example, is an inflammatory response leading to reduced blood flow to the kidneys. Developing acute kidney injury can have serious consequences, including delayed recovery, chronic kidney disease, and even death. While there are currently no preventative measures available to physicians, a recent study suggests one promising approach. And it may be as simple as a squeeze on the arm. Focusing on patients deemed high risk for acute kidney injury, a team of investigators followed up on a recent clinical trial testing the efficacy of a potentially protective measure. This measure, called remote ischemic preconditioning, is a procedure in which a region of the patient's body is momentarily deprived of blood and oxygen. The hope is that this will train the rest of the body to tolerate reduced blood flow during surgery. Though it may sound complex, the technique itself is quite simple and harmless. A blood pressure cuff, a readily available tool for most doctors, is applied to the patient's upper arm and inflated for three five-minute intervals prior to surgery. And it appears to be effective. Investigators split patients into two groups, those who had received remote ischemic preconditioning prior to surgery and those who had not. The team then followed patient progress for 90 days, they found a significant reduction in the occurrence of major kidney problems related to acute kidney injury in patients who underwent ischemic preconditioning and in patients who did develop such complications, those who had undergone the preconditioning treatment recovered more quickly than those who had not. The precise mechanism that makes this therapy effective is not yet understood, but this trial indicates that the low-cost and simple remote ischemic preconditioning technique has the potential to improve both short and long-term complications following heart surgery, a promising finding for future patients.