[Complex assessment of vasomotor function of vascular endothelium in patients with hypertension]

Vasomotor function of vascular endothelium was studied in 62 patients with grade 1-2 hypertension with moderate and high added risk. Methods included study of brachial and middle cerebral artery endothelium dependent and independent vasodilation/vasoconstriction, measurement of plasma levels of nitric oxide metabolites (NO(n)-), endothelin-1, and antithrombin, as well as registration of their changes during vasomotor tests with calculation of integral indexes. Most patients with hypertension differed from controls by preponderance of vasoconstrictor over vasodilator reactions both in peripheral and cerebral vascular bed. At the same time patients with hypertension had pronounced dissociation between vasomotor responses of cerebral and peripheral vessels compared with subjects with normal blood pressure (p<0.05). Besides lowered basal level of NO(n)- and high concentration of endothelin-1 patients with hypertension were characterized by hyperreactivity of nitricoxidergic system, augmented lability of endothelin producing system, and impaired athrombogenecity of vascular endothelium. Complex assessment of vasomotor function of vascular endothelium by sequential vasoactive tests characterizes functional and metabolic activity of cerebral and peripheral vessels and can be used for improvement of risk stratification and monitoring of efficacy of treatment of patients with hypertension.