[Clinical assessment of coronary vascular stiffness and tone by pressure-diameter relationships of the coronary arteries].
To assess the elastic properties of the human coronary arteries, we investigated dynamic pressure-diameter relationship (P-D loop) of the left main coronary artery (LMCA) using cine coronary arteriography (CAG). Intracoronary pressures were ascertained using a high-fidelity manometer placed in the sinus of Valsalva, and the caliber of the coronary artery was measured from the magnified (4-inch image intensifier) CAG using a computerized image processing technique. The dynamic incremental elastic moduli (Ep = (delta P/delta D) X D, delta P: pulse pressure, delta D: change in coronary diameter in a cardiac cycle, D: mean diameter) were calculated from P-D loops of the coronary arteries for assessing their elastic properties. To test the hypothesis that coronary arterial wall stiffness increases with age and/or arteriosclerosis involvement, the coronary arterial elastic properties (Ep) of the LMCA were studied in normal subjects ranging widely in age (41 to 68 years of age) and in patients with coronary artery disease but without narrowing of their LMCAs. Furthermore, to assess the effects of coronary vasoactive agents, nitroglycerin (NG) and ergonovine maleate (EM), on coronary vascular tone, a shift of the P-D loops and a change in the Ep were also studied. The study population consisted of 40 patients who underwent CAG because of chest pain and abnormal ECG. Thirty-four patients without angina at rest were categorized in three groups (G) according to CAG findings; G-1: 15 normal subjects, G-2: eight patients with single vessel disease, G-3: 11 patients with multi-vessel disease.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D000787:Angina Pectoris / Q000503:physiopathology; D000792:Angiography / Q000379:methods; D001794:Blood Pressure; D003201:Computers; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000503:physiopathology; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004874:Ergonovine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D005996:Nitroglycerin / Q000494:pharmacology
D005996:Nitroglycerin; D004874:Ergonovine