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Arterial distensibility in normal and hypertensive man
Clinical Science (London, England : 1979)
|May 1, 1979
Summary
Hypertension may not cause permanent arterial stiffening. Studies show that elevated blood pressure temporarily reduces artery distensibility, but this effect reverses when pressure normalizes, suggesting reversible changes in arterial function.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Physiology
- Vascular Biology
- Hypertension Research
Background:
- Arterial stiffness is a key indicator of cardiovascular health.
- Hypertension is often associated with reduced arterial distensibility.
- The underlying mechanisms of arterial stiffening in hypertension require further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between blood pressure and arterial distensibility.
- To determine if arterial stiffening in hypertensive individuals is a reversible consequence of elevated pressure or due to permanent structural changes.
Main Methods:
- Pulse-wave velocity (PWV) was measured along the brachial radial artery in 38 subjects.
- Volume distensibility was calculated from PWV measurements.
- Measurements were taken at resting blood pressure and after an acute rise in arterial distending pressure.
Main Results:
- Higher resting blood pressure correlated with higher PWV and reduced arterial distensibility.
- An acute increase in arterial distending pressure led to a rise in PWV.
- When PWV was measured at identical arterial pressures, no significant difference was found between hypertensive and normal subjects.
Conclusions:
- Reduced arterial distensibility in hypertension appears to be a functional consequence of elevated distending pressures.
- These findings suggest that arterial stiffening in hypertension may be reversible and not due to irreversible structural alterations.
- This has implications for understanding and managing cardiovascular risk in hypertensive patients.