Abstract
Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is an atherosclerotic vascular disease that affects over 200 million people worldwide. The hallmark of PAD is ischemic leg pain and this condition is also associated with an augmented blood pressure response to exercise, impaired vascular function, and high risk of myocardial infarction and cardiovascular mortality. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that coronary exercise hyperemia is impaired in PAD. Twelve patients with PAD and no overt coronary disease (65±2years, 7 men) and 15 healthy control subjects (64±2years, 9 men) performed supine plantar flexion exercise (30 contractions/min, increasing workload). A subset of subjects (n=7 PAD, n=8 healthy) also performed isometric handgrip exercise (40% of maximum voluntary contraction to fatigue). Coronary blood velocity in the left anterior descending artery was measured by transthoracic Doppler echocardiography; blood pressure and heart rate were monitored continuously. Coronary blood velocity responses to 4min of plantar flexion exercise (PAD: Δ2.4±1.2, healthy: Δ6.0±1.6cm/sec, P=0.039) and isometric handgrip exercise (PAD: Δ8.3±4.2, healthy: Δ16.9±3.6, P=0.033) were attenuated in PAD patients. These data indicate that coronary exercise hyperemia is impaired in PAD, which may predispose these patients to myocardial ischemia.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.