The Effects of Vasomotor Drugs and of Anemia upon Interarterial Coronary Anastomoses

Abstract

The development of functionally significant interarterial coronary anastomoses was measured in 349 young domestic pigs by injecting the coronary arteries with the lead-agar mass of Schlesinger. By this technic well-developed anastomoses were absent in 132 normal control animals. Among the agents tested, acute coronary artery narrowing, sodium nitrite and anemia were effective in stimulating anastomoses. Anastomoses first began to appear two days after narrowing; they became larger and more frequent after seven days.