Flow parameters in normal left coronary artery tree. Implication to atherogenesis

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular science
• Biomedical engineering
• Medical physics

Background:

• Atherosclerosis, a leading cause of heart disease, is linked to hemodynamic forces within coronary arteries.
• Understanding these forces is crucial for predicting and preventing plaque formation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To numerically analyze key hemodynamic parameters in the human left coronary artery (LCA) tree.
• To investigate the relationship between these parameters and the localization of atherosclerosis.

Main Methods:

• Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was used to analyze wall pressure (WP), wall shear stress (WSS), molecular viscosity, and their spatial gradients (WPG, WSSG).
• Analysis was performed on a model of the normal human left coronary artery tree, including major branches.

Main Results:

• Low values of WP, WPG, WSS, and WSSG were observed opposite flow dividers.
• High molecular viscosity was also noted in these regions.
• These spatial patterns correlate with known sites of atherosclerosis localization.

Conclusions:

• Hemodynamic parameters, particularly low WP, WPG, WSS, and WSSG, are implicated in the localization of atherosclerosis in the LCA.
• These findings provide insights into the biomechanical factors driving atherogenesis.