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Measuring Ascending Aortic Stiffness In Vivo in Mice Using Ultrasound
10:08

Measuring Ascending Aortic Stiffness In Vivo in Mice Using Ultrasound

Published on: December 2, 2014

Aortic Compliance and Stiffness Among Severe Longstanding Hypertensive and Non-hypertensive

Lulzim Selim Kamberi1, Daut Rashit Gorani, Teuta Faik Hoxha

  • 1University Clinical Centre of Kosova , Prishtina, Kosovo.

Acta Informatica Medica : AIM : Journal of the Society for Medical Informatics of Bosnia & Herzegovina : Casopis Drustva Za Medicinsku Informatiku Bih
|April 11, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Hypertension significantly increases aortic stiffness, reducing elasticity. Treatment with antihypertensives and statins can improve aortic function, though it may not fully normalize it compared to healthy controls.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Physiology
  • Vascular Biology
  • Hypertension Research

Background:

  • Hypertension accelerates aortic elastin breakdown, leading to lumen dilatation and collagen-induced stiffening.
  • Increased aortic stiffness is a significant predictor of cardiovascular risk and mortality.
  • Vascular stiffening can activate the endothelium, potentially promoting atherosclerosis.

Observation:

  • A study compared 144 patients with hypertension to a control group of similar age.
  • Hypertensive patients exhibited reduced aortic strain and distensibility, with significantly higher stiffness.
  • The hypertensive group had a stiffness measure of 9.3 compared to 5.4 in the control group.

Findings:

  • After two years of treatment with antihypertensives and statins, hypertensive patients showed improved aortic strain, distensibility, and reduced stiffness.
  • Despite treatment, these parameters in the hypertensive group (7.6) remained higher than in the control group (5.38).

Implications:

  • Hypertension negatively impacts aortic elasticity and increases aortic stiffness.
  • Pharmacological treatment with antihypertensives and statins can halt and improve these aortic abnormalities.
  • While treatment offers benefits, long-term management may be necessary to fully restore normal aortic function.
Abstract

Keywords:
Aortic elasticityAortic stiffnessHypertension

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