Repeated exposures to moderately increased intravascular pressure increases stiffness in human arteries and arterioles

• The aim was to investigate whether repeated exposures to moderate pressure elevations in the blood vessels of the arms (pressure training; PT) affect pressure distension in arteries/arterioles of healthy subjects (n=11). PT and vascular pressure-distension determinations were conducted with the subject seated in a pressure chamber with one arm slipped through a hole in the chamber door. Increased intravascular pressure was accomplished by increasing chamber pressure. Before PT, one arm was investigated (control arm) during stepwise increases in chamber pressure to 180 mmHg. Artery diameter and flow were measured in the brachial artery using ultrasonography/Doppler techniques. Thereafter, the contralateral arm underwent a PT regimen consisting of three 40 min sessions/ week during 5 weeks. Chamber pressure was increased during PT from 65 mmHg during the first week to 105 mmHg during the last week. After PT, pressure-distension relationships were examined in both the trained arm and the control arm. Prior to and following PT, endothelium-dependent and endothelium-independent dilatations of the brachial artery were studied. PT reduced (p<0.01) arterial pressure distension by 46 ± 18%. Likewise, the pressure-induced increase in arterial flow was less pronounced after (350 ± 249%) compared with before (685 ± 216 %) PT. The PT-induced reductions in arterial/arteriolar pressure distension were reversed 5 weeks post-PT. Neither endothelium-dependent nor endothelium-independent arterial dilatation were affected by PT. It thus appears that the in vivo wall stiffness in arteries and arterioles increases markedly in response to intermittent, moderate increments of transmural pressure during 5 weeks. The increases in arterial/arteriolar stiffness are reversible and do not reflect a reduced capacity to dilate the vessels. The findings are compatible with the notion that local load serves as “ a prime mover” in the development of vascular changes in hypertension.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Kardiologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Cardiac and Cardiovascular Systems (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

hypertension

pressure habituation

vascular remodeling

wall tension

Publikations- och innehållstyp

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