Is endothelial dysfunction of the coronary microvasculature associated with coronary blood flow regulation during sympathetic stimulation in patients with early atherosclerosis?
Endothelial dysfunction in early atherosclerosis extends to the microvasculature and correlates with impaired coronary blood flow regulation during sympathetic stimulation.
Early stages of epicardial atherosclerosis are associated with an impairment in endothelium-dependent dilation of the coronary microvasculature, indicating that the pathophysiological consequences of atherosclerosis may extend into the human coronary microcirculation. The correlation between cold pressor test-induced coronary vascular resistance changes and the extent of endothelial dysfunction suggests a relation between endothelial function of the microvasculature and coronary blood flow regulation during sympathetic stimulation associated with increased myocardial work.
Zeiher et al. (1991) studied this question.