Korean Circ J.  2003 Jan;33(1):37-43. 10.4070/kcj.2003.33.1.37.

The Changes of Fractional Flow Reserve after Intracoronary Nitrate and Nicorandil Injection in Coronary Artery Ectasia

• Kim W
• Jeong MH
• Gill GC
• Jeong WG
• Hong YJ
• Lee SH
• Park OY
• Park WS
• Kim JH
• Ahn YK
• Cho JG
• Park JC
• Kang JC

• KMID: 1637926
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4070/kcj.2003.33.1.37

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
Little data exist relating to the mechanism of myocardial ischemia in patients with coronary artery ectasia (CAE). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the fractional flow reserve (FFR), as an index of myocardial ischemia, in patients with CAE.
SUBJECTS AND METHODS
Ten patients (7 males, 54.0+/-12.6 years) who diagnosed as CAE, by coronary angiographies, between March 2002 and July 2002, were analyzed. The clinical diagnosis of all the patients was unstable angina. FFR were performed using a pressure wire on the patients diagnosed with slow flow CAE from their coronary angiograms. After measurement of the baseline FFR using adenosine 20 microgram for the right coronary artery, and 24 microgram for the left anterior descending artery, the changes in the FFR with 500 microgram of intracoronary nitrate and 2 mg of Nicorandil were observed.
RESULTS
Smoking was the most frequently associated risk factor. Type I CAE, according to Markis' classification, was the most prevalent at 60.0%. The values of the baseline FFR in the left anterior descending artery and right coronary artery, following the intracoronary injection of adenosine were both normal, and there were no significant changes in the FFR following the intracoronary injections of nitrate and Nicoronadil.
CONCLUSION
The value of the FFR with CAE was normal, and an intracoronary injection of vasodilators did not change the FFR in patients with CAE. Therefore, vasodilator therapy might be beneficial for patients with symptomatic CAE.

Keyword

Coronary disease; Ischemia; Blood flow velocity

MeSH Terms

Adenosine
Angina, Unstable
Arteries
Blood Flow Velocity
Classification
Coronary Angiography
Coronary Disease
Coronary Vessels*
Diagnosis
Dilatation, Pathologic*
Humans
Ischemia
Male
Myocardial Ischemia
Nicorandil*
Risk Factors
Smoke
Smoking
Vasodilator Agents
Adenosine
Nicorandil
Smoke
Vasodilator Agents