Large artery stiffness predicts ischemic threshold in patients with coronary artery disease.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: The goal of this study was to determine whether large artery stiffness contributes to exercise-induced myocardial ischemia in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). BACKGROUND: Large artery stiffness is an independent predictor of cardiovascular mortality and a major determinant of pulse pressure and, thus, cardiac afterload and coronary perfusion. Clinical relevance of the hemodynamic consequences of large artery stiffening has not previously been demonstrated in relation to myocardial ischemia. METHODS: We hypothesized that stiffer large arteries would reduce myocardial ischemic threshold as assessed by time to ST-segment depression of 0.15 mV during a treadmill exercise ..