Effects of coronary angioplasty on left ventricular function.
It is well known that myocardial revascularization after successful coronary bypass surgery results in improved left ventricular function. Coronary angioplasty also results in successful revascularization, favorably affecting both stunned and hibernating myocardium. We studied 22 patients with chronic stable angina who underwent successful angioplasty for an isolated narrowing of the proximal or midportion of the left anterior descending artery. These patients also performed isometric exercises before and after angioplasty, which can be used to characterize left ventricular function. Revascularization after angioplasty induced an immediate improvement in left ventricular function in those patients with dysfunction secondary to hibernating myocardium. Further studies are needed to assess the possibility of the myocardial stunning phenomenon occurring after angioplasty in those patients without left ventricular improvement.
De Servi
S
S
Divisione di Cardiologia, IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy.
Eleuteri
E
E
Bramucci
E
E
Valentini
P
P
Angoli
L
L
Marsico
F
F
Kubica
J
J
Costante
A M
AM
Barberis
P
P
Mariani
G
G
D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005080:Exercise Test; D006801:Humans; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000502:physiology*