Methods for the assessment of the effects of drugs on coronary blood flow in man.

The methods currently available for measurement of coronary blood flow in man are reviewed and their advantages and limitations discussed. Most of the techniques are invasive and involve cardiac catheterization. The least invasive isotope techniques are either not quantitative or involve expensive equipment not available in many centres. Two of the most suitable methods for assessing the effects of drugs on coronary flow are coronary sinus thermodilution and isotope washout curves using 133xenon or [125I]-iodo-antipyrine. The ideal technique for measuring coronary blood flow has yet to be developed.