[The blood rheological and microcirculatory changes in the hypertensive patient]

The authors examined the microcirculatory system alterations which are present in case of arterial hypertension. These alterations consist of an increase in capillary peripheral resistances and in total blood viscosity, of a reduction in red cell deformability and of a vasomotion alteration. The authors evaluated the opportunities of a therapeutic intervention with hypotensive treatments also affecting the microcirculatory system in hypertensive patients with or without associated diabetes mellitus.