Linked Life Data

9541758

Source:http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/id/9541758

Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
3
pubmed:dateCreated
1998-5-21
pubmed:abstractText
Coronary artery ectasia is the abnormal enlargement of the coronary artery. The prognosis, treatment, and etiology of this disease remain an enigma. There is some evidence to suggest that the incidence of ectasia is increasing, and therefore understanding of this entity needs to improve. This article reviews the current literature on coronary artery ectasia and summarizes the findings. A treatment plan that targets each of the suggested clinical complications is provided. Using multiple indirect observations and current understanding of endothelium-derived relaxation factor, a possible etiology that implicates overstimulation of endogenous nitric oxide is provided. Current literature suggests that ectatic coronary arteries, even without the presence of coronary stenosis, are subject to thrombus formation, vasospasm, and spontaneous dissection. Newer subgroups of ectasia are arising with the use of multiple interventional devices to dilate coronary artery stenosis. By design, these destroy the media of the coronary artery, and it is not clear whether these "iatrogenic" ectatic arteries are subject to the same complications as "idiopathic" coronary artery ectasia. Further investigation is necessary to help define the benefit of the proposed treatment regimen, to clarify the prognosis of these newer groups of "iatrogenic" ectasia, and to confirm or disprove the hypothesis targeting nitric oxide as an etiologic factor.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Mar
pubmed:issn
0160-9289
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
21
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
157-60
pubmed:dateRevised
2005-11-16
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
1998
pubmed:articleTitle
Current knowledge and significance of coronary artery ectasia: a chronologic review of the literature, recommendations for treatment, possible etiologies, and future considerations.
pubmed:affiliation
Department of Internal Medicine, East Carolina University School of Medicine, Greenville, North Carolina 27858, USA.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Review