Background. Although aspirin exerts beneficial antiplatelet activity in patients with coronary artery disease, cyclooxygenase blockade produced by aspirin causes a potentially deleterious effect by interrupting endothelial production of prostacyclin. Collateral vessels that develop in response to coronary occlusion display prominent endothelial cell proliferation and undergo vasoconstriction in...

BACKGROUND Coronary collaterals are essential to maintain myocardial function in chronic total coronary occlusions (TCOs). The aim of the present study was to assess the collateral circulation in TCOs before coronary angioplasty and to determine the recruitable collateral perfusion after recanalization by use of intracoronary Doppler flow velocimetry. METHODS AND RESULTS In 21 patients with T...

Arteriogenesis for Cerebral Ischemia To the Editor: The pioneering efforts in the development of therapeutic arteriogenesis for cerebral ischemia reported by Buschmann et al1 herald a new era in the field of stroke therapy. The role of collaterals in maintaining perfusion beyond the site of a proximal arterial occlusion has long been appreciated as a critical factor in reducing ischemic injury ...