Age‐related differences in blood pressure, ultrasound‐derived arterial diameters and arterial wall stiffness parameters in horses

The consequences of hypertension and aging on cardiovascular structure and function are reputed to be similar, suggesting that blood pressure plays a role in the aging process. However, the exact relationship between aging, blood pressure, and the arterial structure-function relationship has not been demonstrated. To test the effects of aging, renin-angiotensin system, and pressure on the arterial wall, 20 normotensive male WAG/Rij rats were killed at 6, 12, 24, and 30 mo of age and compared with similar groups treated with an angiotensin (ANG)-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI), perindopril. Arterial function was determined by a systemic hemodynamic study and by in situ measurement of carotid compliance. Arterial wall structure was determined by histomorphometric and biochemical methods. Aging did not significantly modify blood pressure, but ACE inhibition decreased blood pressure significantly from 6 to 30 mo. Plasma renin activity decreased with age and increased with ACEI. Plasma atrial natriuretic factor increased with age and was significantly decreased with ACEI. Absolute and relative left ventricular weight increased with age, and ACEI delayed these increases. Arterial wall stiffness increased with age, as shown by a significant decrease in systemic and local arterial compliance and by an increase in aortic characteristic impedance. The increase in carotid wall compliance after poisoning of smooth muscle contractile function (KCN) was greater in young (6- and 12-mo old) than in old (24- and 30-mo old) rats. Chronic ACEI treatment increased basal carotid compliance values slightly and did not change KCN carotid compliance. The aortic and carotid luminal size increased regularly with age. Aging was associated without any change in absolute elastin content. In contrast, collagen content increased with aging. Aging was also associated with an increase in medial thickness. Medial thickening was mainly due to smooth muscle hypertrophy. Aging was associated with intimal proliferation, which became progressively thicker and collagen rich. ACEI treatment did not prevent aortic lumen enlargement but significantly postponed the increase in medial and intimal thickening. Biochemical determinations of the aortic wall components confirmed the morphometric data. In conclusion, the age-dependent large artery enlargement and stiffening were observed both in normotensive rats and in those rats whose blood pressure was lowered by ACEI. This suggests that aging and blood pressure affect arterial wall structure and function by different mechanisms.

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Assessment of arterial wall stiffness by 24-hour blood pressure monitoring

Terapevticheskii arkhiv ◽

10.17116/terarkh2016889119-124 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 88 (9) ◽

pp. 119-124 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

V A Korneva ◽

T Yu Kuznetsova

Keyword(s):

Blood Pressure ◽

Arterial Wall ◽

Pulse Wave ◽

Blood Pressure Monitoring ◽

Vascular Wall ◽

Pressure Monitoring ◽

Therapeutic Practice ◽

Wall Stiffness ◽

The Given ◽

Large Vessels

Arterial wall stiffness is an early marker of cardiovascular diseases. The gold standard for assessment of the stiffness of large vessels is presently pulse wave velocity (PWV). Work is in progress on the study of the reference values of PWV in people of different genders and ages. 24-hour blood pressure (BP) monitoring is not only a procedure that can estimate diurnal BP variability, but also monitor the indicators of vascular wall stiffness in a number of cases over a 24-hour period. The given review highlights the pathophysiology of arterial stiffness, methods for its assessment, and the aspects of use in therapeutic practice.

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Cardio-ankle vascular index measures arterial wall stiffness independent of blood pressure

Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice ◽

10.1016/j.diabres.2007.12.016 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 80 (2) ◽

pp. 265-270 ◽

Cited By ~ 97

Author(s):

Junko Ibata ◽

Hideyuki Sasaki ◽

Tetsuhiro Kakimoto ◽

Shohei Matsuno ◽

Muneki Nakatani ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Blood Pressure ◽

Arterial Wall ◽

Wall Stiffness

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Children and Adolescent Obesity Associates with Pressure-Dependent and Age-Related Increase in Carotid and Femoral Arteries’ Stiffness and Not in Brachial Artery, Indicative of Nonintrinsic Arterial Wall Alteration

International Journal of Vascular Medicine ◽

10.1155/2016/4916246 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 2016 ◽

pp. 1-11 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Victoria García-Espinosa ◽

Santiago Curcio ◽

Juan Manuel Castro ◽

Maite Arana ◽

Gustavo Giachetto ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Arterial Stiffness ◽

Brachial Artery ◽

Arterial Wall ◽

Statistical Significance ◽

Age Groups ◽

Normal Weight ◽

Children And Adolescent ◽

Age Related ◽

Wall Stiffness ◽

Related Increase

Aim. To analyze if childhood obesity associates with changes in elastic, transitional, and/or muscular arteries’ stiffness.Methods. 221 subjects (4–15 years, 92 females) were assigned to normal weight (NW,n=137) or obesity (OB,n=84) groups, considering their body mass indexz-score. Age groups were defined: 4–8; 8–12; 12–15 years old. Carotid, femoral, and brachial artery local stiffness was determined through systodiastolic pressure-diameter and stress-strain relationships. To this end, arterial diameter and peripheral and aortic blood pressure (BP) levels and waveforms were recorded. Carotid-femoral, femoropedal, and carotid-radial pulse wave velocities were determined to evaluate aortic, lower-limb, and upper-limb regional arterial stiffness, respectively. Correlation analysis between stiffness parameters and BP was done.Results. Compared to NW, OB subjects showed higher peripheral and central BP and carotid and femoral stiffness, reaching statistical significance in subjects aged 12 and older. Arterial stiffness differences disappeared when levels were normalized for BP. There were no differences in intrinsic arterial wall stiffness (elastic modulus), BP stiffness relationships, and regional stiffness parameters.Conclusion. OB associates with BP-dependent and age-related increase in carotid and femoral (but not brachial) stiffness. Stiffness changes would not be explained by intrinsic arterial wall alterations but could be associated with the higher BP levels observed in obese children.

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