What is coronary blood flow reserve? Insights using myocardial contrast echocardiography.
This review will briefly describe the principles of myocardial contrast echocardiography, and then discuss the clinical and experimental observations that led to the use of this approach to investigate the pathophysiological basis of coronary blood flow reserve. The insights offered by myocardial contrast echocardiography are unique and novel, and highlight the importance of the myocardial capillaries in determining coronary blood flow reserve in health and disease.
Cardiovascular Division, UHN 62, Oregon Health and Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR, 97239, USA. kauls@ohsu.edu.
Sanjiv
S
Kaul
Capillary resistance; Coronary blood flow reserve; Coronary microcirculation; Myocardial contrast echocardiography