Angiographic observation of immediate effect of electric pulse stimulation at Zhiyang point on coronary artery

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate angiographical diameter and pressure changes of coronary artery and heart rate in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) or suspected CHD immediately after electric pulse stimulation of Zhiyang (Du. 9) point. METHODS: Twenty-four patients including 21 males and 3 females with an average age of 48.7 years. Parameters of electric pulse stimulation were as follows: the positive pulse range was 440 V, the negative pulse range was 160 V, the cycle was 8 ms, frequency was 125 Hz, the positive pulse width was 0.8 ms, the negative was 0.4 ms, and the output voltage 9 V. Coronary arteriography was performed by using Judkins technique, and intracoronary pressure with heart rate and any response of patients to the stimulation were recorded pre- and post-stimulation for 90 seconds. The relative diameter of left main coronary artery (LMCA), left anterior descending artery (LAD), left circumflex coronary artery (LCx), and right coronary artery (RCA) before and after the stimulation was measured in the same magnification and their results with recordings of intracoronary pressure and heart rate was analyzed. RESULTS: A mild dilation effect was observed in all coronary arteries with an average dilation of 8.3% (6.3%-15%) in LMCA, 7.7% (5%-11.8%) in LAD, 8.5% (6.7%-11.1%) in LCx, and 9.1% (6.1%-13.3%) in RCA. No significant difference was found in the change of the diameter of LMCA, LAD, LCx and RCA before and after the stimulation and between them. No significant change of an intracoronary pressure was shown in three patients, an increase of intracoronary systolic and diastolic pressure by 36% and 13% was identified in one, and a decrease by 21% and 31% in another patient. Heart rate was decreased by 2.3% in those five patients. CONCLUSIONS: Electric pulse stimulation of Zhiyang point could immediately produce mild dilation effect on coronary arteries, slight decrease on the heart rate, and different effects was produced in intracoronary pressure.