Cardiac-Coronary Coupling ∗

The coronary circulation is unique among vascular beds, as myocardial perfusion depends not only on aortic pressure, conduit artery patency, and microvascular resistance but also on the dynamic interaction between myocardium and microvasculature during the cardiac cycle. As a result of phasic compression and decompression of intramyocardial vessels by surrounding myocytes, coronary flow is intimately linked to myocardial relaxation and contraction, a process known as cardiac–coronary coupling.

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