High-resolution transthoracic echocardiography of the left anterior descending coronary artery: a novel noninvasive assessment of coronary vasoreactivity.

Objectives: The study objective was to determine the effects of salbutamol and nitroglycerin (NTG) on the luminal diameter of the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery, as measured noninvasively by the novel technique of high-resolution transthoracic echocardiography (HRTTE).

Background: Invasive studies of the coronary arteries have demonstrated vasodilatation by salbutamol and NTG. By using a novel technique of HRTTE, combined with assessment of augmentation index (AIx, a marker of peripheral arterial stiffness) by means of applanation tonometry from the radial artery (pulse wave analysis), we studied the vasomotion of the proximal LAD in healthy volunteers.