Standardization of coronary vasomotor tone with intracoronary nitroglycerin

Maximal, reproducible and thus “standardized” dilation of epicardial coronary arteries can be easily achieved with intracoronary bolus administration of 0.1 mg nitroglycerin without considerable decrease in blood pressure. Addition of other nitrocompounds or calcium antagonists cannot increase coronary dilation after nitroglycerin, but may be hampered by adverse effects. Angiographic investigation may start 2 to 3 minutes after nitroglycerin injection, which should be repeated approximately every 10 minutes.