Continuous intravenous infusion of prostaglandin E1 improves myocardial perfusion reserve in patients with ischemic heart disease assessed by positron emission tomography: a pilot study

Objective Recent investigation has demonstrated that prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) therapy increased capillary density in explanted hearts. Dynamic 13N-ammonia positron emission tomography (PET) is reliable for non-invasive measurement of myocardial blood flow and myocardial perfusion reserve (MPR). The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of PGE1 therapy during 4 weeks on reduction of myocardial perfusion abnormalities and increase of MPR in the patients with ischemic heart disease.