Coronary Artery Spasm Induced in Atherosclerotic Miniature Swine

• Published in: Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) Vol. 221; no. 4610; pp. 560 - 562
• Main Authors: Shimokawa, Hiroaki, Tomoike, Hitonobu, Nabeyama, Shozo, Yamamoto, Hideo, Araki, Haruo, Nakamura, Motoomi, Ishi, Yutaka, Tanaka, Kenzo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States The American Association for the Advancement of Science 05.08.1983; American Association for the Advancement of Science
• Subjects: Animals; Arteriosclerosis - complications; Arteriosclerosis - pathology; Arteriosclerosis - physiopathology; Atherosclerosis; Cardiology, Experimental; Cardiovascular research; Cimetidine - pharmacology; Coronary arteries; Coronary Vasospasm - chemically induced; Coronary vessels; Coronary Vessels - drug effects; Coronary Vessels - pathology; Dogs; Dosage; Ergonovine - pharmacology; Histamine - pharmacology; Histamines; Histology; Humans; Intravenous injections; Lesions; Nitroglycerin - pharmacology; Phenylephrine - pharmacology; Receptors; Serotonin - pharmacology; Spasms; Swine; Swine, Miniature
• ISSN: 0036-8075; 1095-9203
• DOI: 10.1126/science.6408736

Angiographically demonstrable coronary artery spasm could be provoked repeatedly by giving intracoronary or intravenous injections of histamine to miniature swine with experimentally induced atherosclerotic lesions of the coronary artery. The spasm induced in this way subsided either spontaneously or after the administration of nitroglycerin and was prevented by a calcium antagonist or an agent that blocks histamine H$_{1}$ receptors. This model, which suggests that atherosclerotic changes may be one of the primary factors in the occurrence of coronary artery spasm, should facilitate studies on the pathogenesis of this condition.