Background Autophagy is the endogenous, tightly regulated cellular process responsible for the degradation of damaged and dysfunctional cellular organelles and protein aggregates. There is a growing consensus that autophagy is upregulated in the setting of myocardial ischemia/reperfusion(I/R), but it has also been unclear whether autophagy is protective or detrimental in response to I/R. Silent information regulator protein(Sirt) Family,which was considered as a longevity factor, may be involved in the regulation of autophagy in I/R. Objective To understand the relationship of Sirt family, autophagy and I/R. Content Thereview will discussthe basic process of autophagy, molecular machinery and signaling pathways of autophagy, the role of autophagy during I/R , and the relationship between Sirt family and autophagy. Trend In addition to understand the concept of autophagy deeply, the role of Sirt family in myocardial protection needs further exploration.