[Coronary lumen diameter and cardiac mass in various forms of cardiac hypertrophy].

Morphometric evaluation of the epicardial arteries is described in detail in 103 patients with various forms of cardiac hypertrophy. Coronary lumen diameter increases with aging regardless of the cardiac mass. Such an increase is observed in some particular types of cardiac hypertrophy and presumably is caused by the changes of intramuscular vessels and diminished perfusion. In patients with so called myocardial atherosclerosis correlation between coronary lumen diameter age and cardiac mass is opposite. In some forms of cardiac hypertrophy the increment of coronary lumen diameter is accompanied by the increase of the cross sectional area of the artery. In this pattern the increase of lumen diameter is not due to passive vessel dilatation because significant thickening of its wall can be seen. Age appeared to be the most important factor influencing the coronary lumen diameter within the whole population, although this correlation can hardly be seen in patients with "myocardial arteriosclerosis".