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Arterial dilatory reserve in congestive heart failure
Abstract
Aim:
The purpose of this study was to determine whether there are abnormalities in flow-mediated large vessel relaxation in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF).
Methods:
The radial arterial diameter and flow responses upon the release of 10 min of forearm arterial occlusion (reactive hyperemia) were measured with ultrasound and Doppler devices.
Results:
In patients with CHF there was a 26% reduction in peak blood flow (P = 0.09) compared to age-matched controls. However, the increase in arterial diameter that followed the peak blood flow was reduced by 49% in CHF (P < 0.01).
Conclusions:
The causes of the abnormal flow-mediated large artery relaxation in CHF are unclear; both structural and endothelial abnormalities may contribute.