Cardiovascular research
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Cardiovascular research · Jul 2002
Coronary patency and its relation to contractile reserve in hibernating myocardium.
Recent clinical studies suggest that contractile reserve may occur in a minority of viable, chronically dysfunctional segments with reduced resting flow (hibernating myocardium). We hypothesized that epicardial artery patency might predict which segments have critically reduced subendocardial flow reserve and limited contractile reserve. ⋯ The physiology and metabolism of hibernating myocardium was dependent upon stenosis severity and its effects on subendocardial flow reserve. In collateral-dependent hibernating myocardium, contractile reserve was limited in the setting of exhausted subendocardial flow reserve, thus supporting the hypothesis that metabolic imaging may be preferable for determining viability distal to a complete occlusion.