[Myocardial ischemia during exertion. Correlations between blood levels of thromboxane B2 and changes in coronary flow and resistance].

Platelet activation, with the subsequent generation of Thromboxane (Tx) A2, has been implied as a possible cause of resting as well as exercise induced myocardial ischemia. To verify the latter hypothesis, we measured the exercise release of TxB2, the stable metabolite of TxA2, in 9 patients with exertional angina and left anterior descending coronary artery disease. Three of the patients also suffered from angina at rest, due to coronary vasospasm. The great cardiac vein flow, venous efflux from the myocardial territory supplied by the left anterior descending, was determined by the thermodilution technique in the basal conditions, at peak exercise when angina and/or significant ST changes occurred, and 20 min after exercise. Simultaneous blood samples were drawn from the great cardiac vein and a peripheral artery for TxB2 measurements. Regional coronary resistances were calculated as the ratio of mean arterial pressure and coronary flow. At peak exercise the great cardiac vein flow increased and regional coronary resistances decreased in all patients, except in one who showed exercise induced coronary spasm. An increase in TxB2 release was found in 3 patients, a decrease in 3, while the remaining 3 patients did not show significant changes. After exercise the great cardiac vein flow and regional coronary resistances returned to control values in all, whereas both great cardiac vein and arterial TxB2 levels were increased in 6 patients. Our data show that no apparent relation exists between exercise-induced changes in coronary resistances and generation of TxB2.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)