Left ventricular hypertrophy, myocardial blood flow and coronary flow reserve.

In this review, the coronary haemodynamics of hypertrophic heart disease are discussed with reference to data published over the last 15 years. Coronary reserve is reduced in the presence of concentric cardiac hypertrophy, but is similar to normal in hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy and aortic stenosis, despite marked left ventricular hypertrophy. A moderate decrease in coronary reserve is found in aortic incompetence and in dilated essential hypertension. In hypertensive heart disease, improvement in coronary reserve can be achieved by long-term vasodilator therapy.