[Endothelial dysfunction in patients with combined coronary heart disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease].

The aim of this work was to evaluate functional incompetence of endothelium in patients with chronic coronary heart disease (CHD, stable angina) combined with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and to choose the most informative method for the diagnosis of endothelial dysfunction. A total of 103 patients aged 36-66 (mean 57.2 +/- 7.6) years were examined. Group 1 comprised 38 patients with CHD and concomitant chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Group 2 included 36 patients with stable angina alone, group 3 consisted of 29 patients with COPD without CHD. Attention is focused on the characteristic of endothelial function by instrumental and laboratory methods. Comparative analysis of the severity of endothelial dysfunction in patients of the three groups revealed different mechanisms of plasma nitrogen oxide dynamics in patients with CHD and/or COPD. CHD and COPD caused mutual aggravation (potentiation) of pathological reactions leading to the development of the disease. Blood levels of nitrogen oxide metabolites in patients with cardiovascular problems or with COPD alone did not reflect the actual amount of "vasodilatory" NO. Reactive hyperemia test is believed to be the most informative method for the assessment of endothelial function in patients with CHD and COPD.