Coronary physiology

1983 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-205 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. O. Feigl

The major areas of normal coronary physiological research since Berne's 1964 review have been the measurement of ventricular transmural blood flow distribution with microspheres, the adenosine hypothesis of local metabolic control of coronary blood flow, and the autonomic control of coronary blood flow. There is an improved understanding of intramyocardial tissue pressure and extravascular compressive forces on coronary vessels. However, the unexpected finding of zero flow during a prolonged diastole with a coronary artery pressure of 40 mmHg (PZF) is a reminder that the physical forces, including vascular smooth muscle contraction, that determine coronary vascular resistance are incompletely understood. During normal circumstances, the left ventricular subendocardium probably receives more blood flow than the subepicardium does, but the difference is small. When the coronary circulation is compromised by stenosis or aortic valve lesions, the subendocardium is much more vulnerable to underperfusion than is the subepicardium. The coronary vasodilating effect of arterial hypoxia has been confirmed in many studies, but the role of tissue oxygen tension in local metabolic control of coronary blood flow during normoxia is unknown. The coronary vasodilating action of carbon dioxide has received renewed attention, but its role in local control is also unknown. The adenosine hypothesis has passed several critical tests, but despite much research the importance of adenosine in normal coronary regulation is not established. Local metabolic control of coronary blood flow probably involves more than just one factor, but a unified hypothesis has not been put forward. Sympathetic alpha-receptor-mediated coronary vasoconstriction has been demonstrated by nerve stimulation and during a carotid sinus baroreceptor reflex. Sympathetic coronary vasoconstriction is capable of competing with local metabolic control to lower coronary venous oxygen tension under experimental circumstances, but its importance during normal resting conditions is not established. Parasympathetic muscarinic coronary vasodilation has been shown by vagal nerve stimulation, but a role for it during normal blood flow regulation has yet to be demonstrated. There have been elegant descriptive studies of the coronary blood flow response during excitement and exercise, where coronary blood flow increases pari passu with myocardial metabolism; however, there are also data that indicate a concomitant sympathetic vasoconstrictor effect during strenuous exercise. Overall there has been encouraging progress in coronary physiology. Inevitably new knowledge has focused old questions and presented new ones.

1986 ◽  
Vol 250 (1) ◽  
pp. H76-H81 ◽  
Author(s):  
O. L. Woodman ◽  
J. Amano ◽  
T. H. Hintze ◽  
S. F. Vatner

Changes in arterial and coronary sinus concentrations of norepinephrine (NE) and epinephrine (E) in response to hemorrhage were examined in conscious dogs. Hemorrhage (45 +/- 3.2 ml/kg) decreased mean arterial pressure by 47 +/- 6%, left ventricular (LV) dP/dt by 38 +/- 6%, and mean left circumflex coronary blood flow by 47 +/- 6%, while heart rate increased by 44 +/- 13%. Increases in concentrations of arterial NE (5,050 +/- 1,080 from 190 +/- 20 pg/ml) and E (12,700 +/- 3,280 from 110 +/- 20 pg/ml) were far greater than increases in coronary sinus NE (1,700 +/- 780 from 270 +/- 50 pg/ml) and E (4,300 +/- 2,590 from 90 +/- 10 pg/ml). Net release of NE from the heart at rest was converted to a fractional extraction of 66 +/- 9% after hemorrhage. Fractional extraction of E increased from 16 +/- 6% at rest to 73 +/- 8% after hemorrhage. In cardiac-denervated dogs, hemorrhage (46 +/- 2.8 ml/kg) decreased mean arterial pressure by 39 +/- 15%, LV dP/dt by 36 +/- 10%, and mean left circumflex coronary blood flow by 36 +/- 13%, while heart rate increased by 24 +/- 10%. Hemorrhage increased arterial NE (1,740 +/- 150 from 210 +/- 30 pg/ml) and E (3,050 +/- 880 from 140 +/- 20 pg/ml) more than it increased coronary sinus NE (460 +/- 50 from 150 +/- 30 pg/ml) and E (660 +/- 160 from 90 +/- 20 pg/ml) but significantly less (P less than 0.05) than observed in intact dogs. These experiments indicate that hemorrhage, unlike exercise and sympathetic nerve stimulation, does not induce net overflow of NE from the heart.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


2017 ◽  
Vol 312 (1) ◽  
pp. H68-H79 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marty D. Spranger ◽  
Jasdeep Kaur ◽  
Javier A. Sala-Mercado ◽  
Abhinav C. Krishnan ◽  
Rania Abu-Hamdah ◽  
...  

Increases in myocardial oxygen consumption during exercise mainly occur via increases in coronary blood flow (CBF) as cardiac oxygen extraction is high even at rest. However, sympathetic coronary constrictor tone can limit increases in CBF. Increased sympathetic nerve activity (SNA) during exercise likely occurs via the action of and interaction among activation of skeletal muscle afferents, central command, and resetting of the arterial baroreflex. As SNA is heightened even at rest in subjects with hypertension (HTN), we tested whether HTN causes exaggerated coronary vasoconstriction in canines during mild treadmill exercise with muscle metaboreflex activation (MMA; elicited by reducing hindlimb blood flow by ~60%) thereby limiting increases in CBF and ventricular performance. Experiments were repeated after α1-adrenergic blockade (prazosin; 75 µg/kg) and in the same animals following induction of HTN (modified Goldblatt 2K1C model). HTN increased mean arterial pressure from 97.1 ± 2.6 to 132.1 ± 5.6 mmHg at rest and MMA-induced increases in CBF, left ventricular dP/d tmax, and cardiac output were markedly reduced to only 32 ± 13, 26 ± 11, and 28 ± 12% of the changes observed in control. In HTN, α1-adrenergic blockade restored the coronary vasodilation and increased in ventricular function to the levels observed when normotensive. We conclude that exaggerated MMA-induced increases in SNA functionally vasoconstrict the coronary vasculature impairing increases in CBF, which limits oxygen delivery and ventricular performance in HTN. NEW & NOTEWORTHY We found that metaboreflex-induced increases in coronary blood flow and ventricular contractility are attenuated in hypertension. α1-Adrenergic blockade restored these parameters toward normal levels. These findings indicate that the primary mechanism mediating impaired metaboreflex-induced increases in ventricular function in hypertension is accentuated coronary vasoconstriction. Listen to this article’s corresponding podcast at http://ajpheart.podbean.com/e/metaboreflex-induced-functional-coronary-vasoconstriction/ .


1987 ◽  
Vol 252 (3) ◽  
pp. H474-H484 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. C. Bonham ◽  
D. D. Gutterman ◽  
J. M. Arthur ◽  
M. L. Marcus ◽  
G. F. Gebhart ◽  
...  

Based on evidence implicating the central nervous system in the regulation of coronary vascular resistance and the knowledge that the hypothalamus is a central site for integration of cardiovascular control, studies were undertaken to determine if electrical stimulation in the hypothalamus produced coronary vasoconstriction. In anesthetized cats, following beta-adrenergic receptor blockade, stimulation in perifornical lateral hypothalamus produced a transient decrease in coronary blood flow velocity (30 +/- 5%), a small pressor effect (7 +/- 2 mmHg), and an initial decrease in hindquarter blood flow velocity (51 +/- 5%). The decrease in coronary flow velocity, which had an onset latency of 1-3 s and a duration of 5-15 s, was abolished by ipsilateral stellate ganglionectomy and by intravenous and intracoronary prazosin. The coronary vasoconstriction produced by hypothalamic stimulation was not different from that produced by cardioaccelerator nerve stimulation. These results suggest that electrical stimulation of a hypothalamic site produces an alpha-adrenergic receptor-mediated decrease in coronary blood flow that is unmasked by beta-adrenergic receptor blockade, requires the integrity of ipsilateral cardiac sympathetic innervation, and mimics the coronary response to cardioaccelerator nerve stimulation.


2011 ◽  
Vol 300 (5) ◽  
pp. H1950-H1959 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vincent J. de Beer ◽  
Shawn B. Bender ◽  
Yannick J. Taverne ◽  
Fen Gao ◽  
Dirk J. Duncker ◽  
...  

We previously demonstrated that endothelin (ET)-mediated coronary vasoconstriction wanes with increasing exercise intensity via a nitric oxide- and prostacyclin-dependent mechanism (Ref. 23). Therefore, we hypothesized that the waning of ET coronary vasoconstriction during exercise is the result of decreased production of ET and/or decreased ET receptor sensitivity. We investigated coronary ET receptor sensitivity using intravenous infusion of ET and coronary ET production using intravenous infusion of the ET precursor Big ET, at rest and during continuous treadmill exercise at 3 km/h in 16 chronically instrumented swine. In the systemic vasculature, Big ET and ET induced similar changes in hemodynamic parameters at rest and during continuous exercise at 3 km/h, indicating that exercise does not alter ET production or receptor sensitivity in the systemic vasculature. In the coronary vasculature, infusion of ET resulted in similar dose-dependent decreases in coronary blood flow and coronary venous oxygen tension and saturation at rest and during exercise. In contrast, administration of Big ET resulted in dose-dependent decreases in coronary blood flow, as well as coronary venous oxygen tension and saturation at rest. These effects of Big ET were significantly reduced during exercise. Altogether, our data indicate that continuous exercise at 3 km/h attenuates ET-mediated coronary vasoconstriction through reduced production of ET from Big ET rather than through reduced ET sensitivity of the coronary vasculature. The decreased ET production during exercise likely contributes to metabolic coronary vasodilation.


Endocrinology ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 148 (2) ◽  
pp. 806-812 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena Grossini ◽  
Claudio Molinari ◽  
David A. S. G. Mary ◽  
Ezio Ghigo ◽  
Gianni Bona ◽  
...  

The peptide ghrelin has been linked to the atherosclerotic process and coronary artery disease. We planned to study, for the first time, the primary effects of ghrelin on the intact coronary circulation and determine the mechanisms involved. In 24 sodium pentobarbitone-anesthetized pigs, changes in anterior descending coronary blood flow caused by intracoronary infusion of ghrelin at constant heart rate and arterial pressure were assessed using electromagnetic flowmeters. In 20 pigs, intracoronary infusion of ghrelin decreased coronary blood flow without affecting left ventricular maximum rate of change of left ventricular systolic pressure (dP/dtmax), filling pressures of the heart or plasma levels of GH. In four pigs, this decrease was graded by step increments of infused dose of the hormone. The mechanisms of the above response were studied in the 20 pigs by repeating the experiment after coronary flow had returned to the control values observed before infusion. The ghrelin-induced coronary vasoconstriction was not affected by iv atropine (five pigs) or phentolamine (five pigs). This response was abolished by iv butoxamine (five pigs) and intracoronary Nω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (five pigs), even after reversing the increase in arterial pressure and coronary vascular resistance caused by the two blocking agents with iv infusion of papaverine. The present study showed that intracoronary infusion of ghrelin primarily caused coronary vasoconstriction. The mechanisms of this response were shown to involve the inhibition of a vasodilatory β2-adrenergic receptor-mediated effect related to the release of nitric oxide.


Circulation ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 92 (9) ◽  
pp. 298-303 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takuya Miura ◽  
Takeshi Hiramatsu ◽  
Joseph M. Forbess ◽  
John E. Mayer

1992 ◽  
Vol 262 (1) ◽  
pp. H68-H77
Author(s):  
F. L. Abel ◽  
R. R. Zhao ◽  
R. F. Bond

Effects of ventricular compression on maximally dilated left circumflex coronary blood flow were investigated in seven mongrel dogs under pentobarbital anesthesia. The left circumflex artery was perfused with the animals' own blood at a constant pressure (63 mmHg) while left ventricular pressure was experimentally altered. Adenosine was infused to produce maximal vasodilation, verified by the hyperemic response to coronary occlusion. Alterations of peak left ventricular pressure from 50 to 250 mmHg resulted in a linear decrease in total circumflex flow of 1.10 ml.min-1 x 100 g heart wt-1 for each 10 mmHg of peak ventricular to coronary perfusion pressure gradient; a 2.6% decrease from control levels. Similar slopes were obtained for systolic and diastolic flows as for total mean flow, implying equal compressive forces in systole as in diastole. Increases in left ventricular end-diastolic pressure accounted for 29% of the flow changes associated with an increase in peak ventricular pressure. Doubling circumferential wall tension had a minimal effect on total circumflex flow. When the slopes were extrapolated to zero, assuming linearity, a peak left ventricular pressure of 385 mmHg greater than coronary perfusion pressure would be required to reduce coronary flow to zero. The experiments were repeated in five additional animals but at different perfusion pressures from 40 to 160 mmHg. Higher perfusion pressures gave similar results but with even less effect of ventricular pressure on coronary flow or coronary conductance. These results argue for an active storage site for systolic arterial flow in the dilated coronary system.


1982 ◽  
Vol 242 (5) ◽  
pp. H805-H809 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. R. Heyndrickx ◽  
P. Muylaert ◽  
J. L. Pannier

alpha-Adrenergic control of the oxygen delivery to the myocardium during exercise was investigated in eight conscious dogs instrumented for chronic measurements of coronary blood flow, left ventricular (LV) pressure, aortic blood pressure, and heart rate and sampling of arterial and coronary sinus blood. After alpha-adrenergic receptor blockade a standard exercise load elicited a significantly greater increase in heart rate, rate of change of LV pressure (LV dP/dt), LV dP/dt/P, and coronary blood flow than was elicited in the unblocked state. In contrast to the response pattern during control exercise, there was no significant change in coronary sinus oxygen tension (PO2), myocardial arteriovenous oxygen difference, and myocardial oxygen delivery-to-oxygen consumption ratio. It is concluded that the normal relationship between myocardial oxygen supply and oxygen demand is modified during exercise after alpha-adrenergic blockade, whereby oxygen delivery is better matched to oxygen consumption. These results indicate that the increase in coronary blood flow and oxygen delivery to the myocardium during normal exercise is limited by alpha-adrenergic vasoconstriction.


1980 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
pp. 28-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. R. Heyndrickx ◽  
J. L. Pannier ◽  
P. Muylaert ◽  
C. Mabilde ◽  
I. Leusen

The effects of beta-adrenergic blockade upon myocardial blood flow and oxygen balance during exercise were evaluated in eight conscious dogs, instrumented for chronic measurements of coronary blood flow, left ventricular pressure, aortic blood pressure, heart rate, and sampling of arterial and coronary sinus venous blood. The administration of propranolol (1.5 mg/kg iv) produced a decrease in heart rate, peak left ventricular (LV) dP/dt, LV (dP/dt/P, and an increase in LV end-diastolic pressure during exercise. Mean coronary blood flow and myocardial oxygen consumption were lower after propranolol than at the same exercise intensity in control conditions. The oxygen delivery-to-oxygen consumption ratio and the coronary sinus oxygen content were also significantly lower. It is concluded that the relationship between myocardial oxygen supply and demand is modified during exercise after propranolol, so that a given level of myocardial oxygen consumption is achieved with a proportionally lower myocardial blood flow and a higher oxygen extraction.


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