title: Vasomotion of coronary arteries: from nitrates to nitric oxide.
abstract: The vascular endothelium is a source of substances particularly nitric oxide that act in a paracrine fashion either to contract or relax smooth muscle cells and this function is disturbed in atherosclerotic arteries. The endothelium derived nitric oxide contribute in the basal vasomotor tone of epicardial normal and atheromatous coronary coronary arteries, and of atheromatous coronary stenoses in patients with stable angina. Nitrates, by acting indirectly to increase cGMP in smooth muscle cells, dilate most coronary stenoses and normal coronary segments, decrease left ventricular afterload and diastolic filling pressure and improve the distribution of coronary flow to subendocardial zone. Large and small epicardial coronary vessels responded differently to endothelium-dependent and independent vasodilators.
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Unit, Hammersmith Hospital, Imperial College School of Medicine, London, England.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tousoulis
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Toutouzas
mesh_terms: D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000473:pathology*; D001685:Biological Factors / Q000502:physiology*; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000187:drug effects*; D006152:Cyclic GMP / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects; D009566:Nitrates / Q000494:pharmacology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D001685:Biological Factors; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents; D009566:Nitrates; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D006152:Cyclic GMP