Cariporide is primarily investigated for its cardioprotective properties, especially in the context of ischemia-reperfusion injury. It functions as a selective inhibitor of the sodium-hydrogen exchanger (NHE-1), which plays a key role in intracellular pH regulation during cardiac stress. By blocking this exchanger, cariporide helps reduce intracellular sodium and calcium overload in heart cells, a major contributor to tissue damage following heart attacks or cardiac surgery. It has been studied in clinical trials for reducing the risk of myocardial infarction and improving outcomes in high-risk cardiac patients, particularly during coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) or percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI). Though promising in preclinical and early clinical studies, its development was limited due to safety concerns in larger trials. Nonetheless, cariporide remains an important research tool for understanding ion exchange mechanisms in cardiac cells and continues to inform the development of safer cardioprotective agents.