Blood pressure and vascular function

Cardiovascular diseases, such as hypertension, coronary heart disease (CHD), and atherosclerosis, are associated with increased oxidative stress and are more common in men than in premenopausal women of similar age, with the incidence of CHD increasing significantly after menopause, with loss of cardiovascular protection attributed to estrogen deficiency [Forte et al., 1998]. Differences in the regulation of blood pressure and vascular function between males and females have been investigated extensively over the past... 

Brook RD, Urch B, Dvonch T et al (2009) Insights into the mechanisms and mediators of the effects of air pollution exposure on blood pressure and vascular function in healthy humans. Hypertension 54 659-667... 

Brook RD, Urch B, Dvonch JT, Bard RL, Speck M, Keeler G, Morishita M, Marsik FJ, Kamal AS, Kaciroti N, Harkema J, Corey P, Silverman F, Gold DR, Wellenius G, Mittleman MA, Rajagopalan S, Brook JR (2009) Insights into the mechanisms and mediators of the effects of air pollution exposure on blood pressure and vascular function in healthy humans. Hypertension 54 659-667... 

There is supporting evidence that apples and apple components upregulate the composition and the activity of the gut microbiota and may improve biomarkers related to cardiometabohc disease. Data from animal studies represent a stronger evidence base compared with more limited data from human studies which are scarce and often inconsistent. Beneficial effects on key CVD risk markers such as blood pressure and vascular function are limited, whereas evidence for antiinflammatory activities and beneficial effects of apples and apple components on glucose and insulin levels has been mainly derived from in vitro and animal studies. The strongest effects are related to blood lipid levels where a frequent apple consumption of approximately three apples per day has been... 

Glomerulonephritis Glomerular lesions that are characterized by inflammation of the capillary loops of the glomerulus. These lesions are generally caused by immunologic, vascular, or other idiopathic diseases. Glomerulonephritis can lead to high blood pressure and loss of kidney function. 

NOx levels are increased in plasma and urine of septic animals. Many nonse-lective NO synthase inhibitors (e.g., L-NMMA) are used in several models with experimental induced sepsis (S40). In most studies it was shown that the cardiovascular abnormalities associated with sepsis were reversed, increasing blood pressure and systemic vascular resistance (F7, K9, M26, N5), together with a improvement in renal function (B42, H24). Also, selective inhibition of iNOS prolonged survival in septic rats (A7). 

Systemic blood pressure is a function of vascular resistance and cardiac output SBP = CO x SVR... 

Hemodynamic effects - Small decreases in cardiac output and increases in systemic vascular resistance have occurred, with no significant negative inotropic effect. Blood pressure and pulse rate remain essentially unchanged. Mild depression of myocardial function has been observed following IV mexiletine (dosage form not available in the US) in patients with cardiac disease. 

It is noteworthy that a cross-sectional study in 301 postmenopausal women (60 to 75 years of age) in the Netherlands, where isoflavone and lignan intakes were assessed with a food frequency questionnaire covering habitual diet during the year prior to the study, reported no associations between isoflavone intake and vascular function, including endothelial function, blood pressure, and hypertension, and this is in contrast to the observed protective effect of dietary lignan intake on blood pressure and hypertension. 

Because capillary walls are thin (to permit diffusion) the blood that is delivered to them must be delivered under reduced pressure. This is accomplished by the arterioles, which combine relatively muscular walls with a narrow lumen. The arterial blood pressure is a function of cardiac output and the total peripheral vascular resistance, which is primarily a function of the degree of normal tension (tonus) of the smooth muscle cells in the walls of the arterioles. If this tonus increases above the normal range for extended periods of time, hypertension (high blood pressure) will result. This tonus is under the control of the autonomic nervous system and of adrenergic hormones (catecholamines). 

Given i.v. to anesthetized dogs, BAY K 8644 (41) caused increases in myocardial contractility, blood pressure, and peripheral vascular resistance. These changes were reversed by nifedipine but not by a- or 3-adrenoceptor blockade. BAY K 8644 Increased cardiac rate and contractility and also caused coronary vasoconstriction in an isolated cardiac preparation. This compound may be useful as a tool to ascertain the function of CEB in tissues. 

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