Parameters of cutaneous microvasculature in men of working age with newly diagnosed arterial hypertension

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Research
• Microcirculation Studies
• Hypertension Research

Background:

• Arterial hypertension (AH) is a major cardiovascular risk factor.
• Understanding microvascular changes in early AH is crucial for effective management.
• Cutaneous microvasculature serves as a window to systemic vascular health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the structural and functional characteristics of cutaneous microvasculature in working-age men with newly diagnosed arterial hypertension (AH).
• To compare microvascular features between normotensive individuals and those with early-stage AH.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive cardiovascular examination, from heart to capillaries, was performed on 161 men aged 30-60.
• The study included a control group (CG) of 60 normotensive men and an AH group of 101 men with elevated blood pressure.
• Assessment focused on capillary bed structure, interstitial fluid, and the tone of precapillary arterioles.

Main Results:

• No evidence of capillary rarefaction or latent fluid retention in the skin of men with AH was found.
• Increased endothelial, neurogenic, or myogenic tone of resistive cutaneous precapillary arterioles was not observed in the AH group.
• A notable decrease in the perfusion efficiency of endothelial and myogenic mechanisms modulating tissue perfusion was identified in men with AH.

Conclusions:

• The findings suggest that systemic metabolic disorders at the capillary level may be predominant in the early stages of arterial hypertension in men.
• These microvascular alterations, despite the absence of rarefaction, indicate functional impairments affecting tissue perfusion.
• Further research into capillary-level metabolic dysregulation is warranted for understanding and treating early AH.