|
Home l Site
Map l Contact l Links |
|
|
 |
- Assessment
of arterial distensibility by automatic pulse wave velocity measurement.
Validation and clinical application studies. Hypertension,
1995. 26:485-490.
Safar M.E, Laurent P. Pulse pressure and arterial stiffness in rats: comparison with humans. American Journal of Physiology - Heart and Circulatory Physiology, 2003. 285(4):H1363-9. Abstract : In the past, hypertensive rats and men were described with a similar hemodynamic pattern involving a proportional increase of systolic (S) and diastolic (D) blood pressure (BP). Nowadays, the enhanced frequency of systolic hypertension in humans suggests to reinvestigate the classical similarities and differences between spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and hypertensive humans. Old hypertensive rats, with some exception over 50 weeks of age, never develop systolic hypertension. The possible explanation is that, despite the development of a pressure-independent increase of large artery stiffness, a parallel decrease of stroke volume occurs and precedes congestive heart failure. Several mechanisms contribute to alter the mechanical arterial properties in old SHR: endothelial nitrite oxide deficiency and impaired oxidative stress; development of extracellular matrix, particularly under the influence of angiotensin II, aldosterone and end-glycosyl products; increased sodium intake and sensitivity under specific genetic influences. Both in humans and rats,
these factors contribute to increase arterial stiffness, SBP
and pulse pressure with age, thus reducing cardiovascular longevity
and suggesting to develop novel therapeutic approaches in humans.
File last modified on june 30, 2006 |
|
 |
|
Informations
on Heart & Vessels are only given by doctors who are specialized
in cardiology.