Impact of coronary artery tortuosity in ischemic and non-ischemic cardiovascular pathology

Abstract

The aim of this paper was to review based on the existing literature the impact of coronary artery tortuosity on coronary pathology. Primarily, an attempt was made to establish the implication of coronary tortuosity as a physio-pathological mechanism of inducing ischemia in patients with non-obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD). Because the prevalence of tortuosity is higher in severe hypertensive patients, a second purpose of this paper was to review this association by understanding the physio-pathological processes and fluid dynamics in hypertrophic heart. Particularly, the effect of coronary tortuosity on systolic function with reference to longitudinal function and ventricular relaxation was addressed. Finally, the technical difficulties imposed by coronary tortuosity to percutaneous coronary interventions were discussed.

Keywords

• coronary tortuosity
• myocardial ischemia
• arterial hypertension
• systolic function
• percutaneous coronary intervention