title: The microvascular haematocrit as a determinant of myocardial oxygenation.
abstract: Ischaemia of the left ventricular myocardium preferentially threatens the subendocardial layers. The microvascular haematocrit is a main factor for oxygen delivery to the left ventricular wall together with coronary blood flow and perfused capillary area. The influence of coronary perfusion, precapillary flow, haematocrit, the viscosity of the blood, and the viscoelastic properties of red cells are considered with emphasis on their influence on oxygen delivery to the myocardium. The microvascular haematocrit is decreased distal to a coronary artery stenosis, and especially in subendocardial layers, so the oxygenation of the deep layers within the left ventricle is reduced more than could be expected from a decrease in coronary blood flow alone.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Slagelse Central Hospital, Denmark.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Eliasen
mesh_terms: D003326:Coronary Circulation; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D006400:Hematocrit; D006801:Humans; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000378:metabolism; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen