Gender differences in myocardial blood flow dynamics: lipid profile and hemodynamic effects.

Objectives: The purpose of the study was to compare myocardial blood flow (MBF) in hyperlipidemic postmenopausal women and age-matched hyperlipidemic men, and to analyze the relationship between cholesterol subfractions and myocardial blood flow in men and women.

Background: Women are protected from coronary artery disease (CAD) events until well after menopause, in part due to gender-specific differences in lipid profiles.

Methods: To examine the effect of these influences on coronary microcirculation, MBF was quantitated with N-13 ammonia/PET (positron emission tomography) at rest and during adenosine hyperemia in 15 women and 15 men, all nondiabetic, who were matched for age and total cholesterol levels (53+/-4 vs.

Cardiac sympathetic dysinnervation in diabetes: implications for enhanced cardiovascular risk.

Background: Regional cardiac sympathetic hyperactivity predisposes to malignant arrhythmias in nondiabetic cardiac disease. Conversely, however, cardiac sympathetic denervation predicts increased morbidity and mortality in severe diabetic autonomic neuropathy (DAN). To unite these divergent observations, we propose that in diabetes regional cardiac denervation may elsewhere induce regional sympathetic hyperactivity, which may in turn act as a focus for chemical and electrical instability.

Scintigraphic assessment of regionalized defects in myocardial sympathetic innervation and blood flow regulation in diabetic patients with autonomic neuropathy.

Objectives: This study sought to evaluate whether regional sympathetic myocardial denervation in diabetes is associated with abnormal myocardial blood flow under rest and adenosine-stimulated conditions.

Background: Diabetic autonomic neuropathy (DAN) has been invoked as a cause of unexplained sudden cardiac death, potentially by altering electrical stability or impairing myocardial blood flow, or both. The effects of denervation on cardiac blood flow in diabetes are unknown.

Assessment of diagnostic performance of quantitative flow measurements in normal subjects and patients with angiographically documented coronary artery disease by means of nitrogen-13 ammonia and positron emission tomography.

Objectives: Regional myocardial blood flow (MBF) and flow reserve measurements using nitrogen-13 (N-13) ammonia positron emission tomography (PET) were compared with quantitative coronary angiography to determine their utility in the detection of significant coronary artery disease (CAD).

Background: Dynamic PET protocols using N-13 ammonia allow regional quantification of MBF and flow reserve. To establish the diagnostic performance of this method, the sensitivity and specificity must be known for varying decision thresholds.

Quantification of myocardial blood flow and flow reserve in children with a history of Kawasaki disease and normal coronary arteries using positron emission tomography.

Objectives: The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether myocardial blood flow and flow reserve, based on quantitative measurements derived from positron emission tomographic (PET) imaging, would be globally impaired in children with a previous history of Kawasaki disease and normal epicardial coronary arteries.

Background: Kawasaki disease is an acute inflammatory process of the arterial walls that results in panvasculitis in early childhood. Children with a history of Kawasaki disease and normal epicardial coronary arteries were previously considered to have normal coronary flow reserve.