title: Coronary pressure measurements in post-myocardial infarction patients.
abstract: The development of pressure monitoring guide-wires has facilitated the measurements of coronary pressures distal to a stenosis. The ratio of the distal coronary and aortic pressures (P(d)/P(a)) measured during maximal hyperaemia is a useful index for diagnosis and monitoring the treatment of patients with coronary artery disease and for guiding percutaneous coronary intervention. However, the role of coronary pressure measurements in post- myocardial infarction (MI) patients is not well established. Coronary pressure measurements should be used with caution during the acute phase of MI due to serious micro-vascular impairment. The hyperaemic pressure P(d)/P(a) ratio can identify ischaemic myocardial territories in patients with recent MI. Theoretically, coronary pressure measurements may be of value in predicting myocardial recovery after revascularization in post-MI patients with a moderate stenosis of the infarct-related artery and without angiographically evident collaterals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, School of Medicine, Greece and Michaelidion Cardiac Center, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece.
authors.forename: Christos S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Katsouras
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kotsla
authors.forename: Lampros K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Michalis
mesh_terms: D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination / Q000379:methods*; D003326:Coronary Circulation / Q000502:physiology*; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011379:Prognosis