Coronary Atherosclerosis, Coronary Collaterals, and Their Relation to Cardiac Function

In subjects with coronary artery disease demonstrated by selective coronary arteriography there was a progressively higher prevalence of both ventriculographic abnormalities (asynergy) and collaterals in one-, two-, and three-vessel disease groups, respectively, although no association was demonstrable between these two abnormalities. Subjects with ventriculographic abnormalities had more hemodynamic dysfunction when compared with those with normal ventricular contraction, but there was no correlation between number of coronary vessels involved and hemodynamic abnormalities. The findings suggest that although an abnormal ventricular contraction pattern is associated with hemodynamic dysfunction, the presence of collaterals does not protect from the development of asynergy or hemodynamic abnormalities.