title: Can atherosclerotic coronary arteries vasodilate? An intraoperative high-frequency epicardial echocardiographic study.
abstract: Our purpose was to evaluate the vasodilating responses of atherosclerotic coronary arteries using intraoperative high-frequency (12 MHz) epicardial echocardiography. We obtained continuous high-frequency epicardial echocardiographic recordings during surgery, and determined cross-sectional lumen area from 17 coronary arterial segments (12 patients). Nitroglycerin (100 to 400 micrograms/min) was administered intravenously to reduce mean (+/- SEM) arterial pressure 14 +/- 1.8 mm Hg. The cross-sectional arterial images were classified using 3 different parameters: arterial lumen area, percentage of the arterial wall circumference that was atherosclerotic (wall thickness > 0.7 mm), and presence of an eccentrically shaped arterial lumen (maximal/minimal luminal diameter > 1.5). Nine arterial segments had small (< 5.0 mm2) arterial lumens (1.7 +/- 0.40 mm2 [+/- SEM; range 0.6 to 3.9]). With nitroglycerin, the luminal area increased 0.8 +/- 0.28 mm2 (range 0 to 2.5), and 39 +/- 12.1% (range 0 to 117). The remaining 8 segments had larger (> 5.0 mm2) lumens (8.7 +/- 0.91 mm2 [range 5.0 to 11.9]). With nitroglycerin the luminal area increased 4.3 +/- 1.11 mm2 (range 1.4 to 11.4), and 51 +/- 10.2% (range 16 to 96). Seven arterial segments had eccentric lumens; mean maximal/minimal ratio was 1.8 +/- 0.08 (range 1.6 to 2.0). The area increased 39 +/- 7.3% (range 16 to 71) with nitroglycerin. In the 10 concentrically shaped lumens (maximal/minimal lumen diameters 1.3 +/- 0.04 [range 1.1 to 1.5]), nitroglycerin increased luminal area by 48 +/- 12.6% (range 0 to 117) (p = NS).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, USA.
authors.forename: D D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: McPherson
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sirna
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Moyers
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Kane
authors.forename: L F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Hiratzka
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Marcus
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Kerber
mesh_terms: D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007432:Intraoperative Period; D008297:Male; D014664:Vasodilation