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The Physiological Basis of Coronary Circulation

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Contrast Echocardiography in Clinical Practice

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Abstract

The high prevalence of cardiovascular diseases in developed countries, particularly coronary heart disease, has resulted in an increasing interest in the physiological basis of the circulatory system and coronary flow [1–4]. The study of the physiology helps us understand cardiovascular pathologic disorders and their clinical manifestations better. But it also allows us to learn about some aspects of the diagnostic tools applied in cardiovascular disease, since most of them aim to disclose abnormalities in coronary flow. These techniques use some type of tracer, a substance that travels through the coronary circulation and interacts with the cells of the vascular wall and the myocytes, reflecting the state, normal or abnormal, of the blood flow. This is the case of isotopic diagnostic techniques (SPECT, PET), the most recent technologies of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging or myocardial contrast-enhanced echocardiography—the topic of this book [5–7].

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Authors
  1. Pedro Marcos-Alberca
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  2. Manuel Rey Pérez
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  3. Rosa Rábago
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  4. José Luis Zamorano
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  5. Miguel Angel García Fernández
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Marcos-Alberca, P., Pérez, M.R., Rábago, R., Zamorano, J.L., Fernández, M.A.G. (2004). The Physiological Basis of Coronary Circulation. In: Contrast Echocardiography in Clinical Practice. Springer, Milano. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-2125-9_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-2125-9_1

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Milano

  • Print ISBN: 978-88-470-2174-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-88-470-2125-9

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