Publicação
The Endothelium and Arterial Hypertension
| Resumo: | Essential hypertension is associated with endothelial dysfunction. This is caused by free oxygen radicals that destroy nitric oxide, impairing its protective effects on the vascular wall.The endothelium has an autocrine/paracrine function, regulating the secretion of substances that control vascular tonus and structure. It produces relaxing factors, such as Nitric oxide and prostacycline, as well as constricting ones such as endothelin.By definition, endothelial dysfunction is a reversible functional alteration of the endothelial cell, resulting from deficient availability of nitric oxide.In hypertensive patients, endothelial dysfunction, although not directly responsible for the elevation of blood pressure, is a promoter for the atherosclerotic lesion and the main complications of hypertensive disease and thus becomes a goal for antihypertensive therapy.So far, the evidence about the prognostic value of endothelial dysfunction in patients with cardiovascular risk factors, including hypertension, is scarce. This makes it difficult to establish if pharmacological therapy of this entity represents an adjuvant beneficial effect beyond that of blood pressure control, namely on morbidity and mortality reduction in the hypertensive population. |
|---|---|
| Autores principais: | Alcântara, Cristina |
| Outros Autores: | Ramalhinho, Vítor |
| Assunto: | Hipertensão arterial óxido nítrico endotélio Arterial hypertension nitric oxide endothelium |
| Ano: | 2003 |
| País: | Portugal |
| Tipo de documento: | artigo |
| Instituição associada: | Sociedade Portuguesa de Medicina Interna |
| Idioma: | português |
| Origem: | Revista Portuguesa de Medicina Interna |
| Resumo: | Essential hypertension is associated with endothelial dysfunction. This is caused by free oxygen radicals that destroy nitric oxide, impairing its protective effects on the vascular wall.The endothelium has an autocrine/paracrine function, regulating the secretion of substances that control vascular tonus and structure. It produces relaxing factors, such as Nitric oxide and prostacycline, as well as constricting ones such as endothelin.By definition, endothelial dysfunction is a reversible functional alteration of the endothelial cell, resulting from deficient availability of nitric oxide.In hypertensive patients, endothelial dysfunction, although not directly responsible for the elevation of blood pressure, is a promoter for the atherosclerotic lesion and the main complications of hypertensive disease and thus becomes a goal for antihypertensive therapy.So far, the evidence about the prognostic value of endothelial dysfunction in patients with cardiovascular risk factors, including hypertension, is scarce. This makes it difficult to establish if pharmacological therapy of this entity represents an adjuvant beneficial effect beyond that of blood pressure control, namely on morbidity and mortality reduction in the hypertensive population. |
|---|
Atividades financiadas
Não foram encontrados projetos financiados.