Epicardial coronary venous pressure.

Coronary venous pressure was measured in two sites in the canine heart. Central coronary venous pressure was that pressure recorded by a catheter in an epicardial coronary vein directed antegrade towards the coronary sinus. This pressure was 6 +/- 1/0.2 +/- 0.6 mmHg (1 mmHg = 133.322 Pa). Peripheral coronary venous pressure was recorded by a catheter in an epicardial vein which was directed towards the apex. It was 27 +/- 5/8 +/- 2 mmHg. Simultaneous measurement of peripheral coronary artery and vein pressures demonstrated similar pressure wave forms with peak pressures during systole. Peripheral coronary venous pressure was similar if measured from a side branch leading to the major epicardial veins or via a catheter placed retrograde in a major epicardial vein. Thus artifact of measurement caused by antegrade catheter placement was negligible. During norepinephrine administration, venous pressures were significantly increased. These data suggest that coronary venous pressures are higher than is generally assumed and that intramyocardial pressure has an important effect upon coronary venous pressure.