A pathological condition of arteries that may serve as an indicator of cardiovascular disease.
Signifies reduced arterial compliance and the opposite of arterial compliance.
The structure and functional components of the artery include the behavior of muscle, elastin and collagen which bear pressure on the wall of the artery at various levels of vessel distension.
Arterial compliance refers to the ratio of any volume change caused by a given pressure change.
Arterial distensibility refers to the volume change over compliance per unit volume in the arterial system.
Oxidative stress and inflammation are the main mechanisms causing stiffening of the arteries
In young individuals blood vessels are compliant and stretch and recoil smoothing the flow of blood.
With aging and hypertension blood vessels stiffen.
Diet may influence arterial stiffness as it is associated with higher fat, sucrose, and sodium intake and lower potassium intake.
Blood vessel stiffening changes the way energy is transmitted up and down the vascular tree with each heart beat.
Stiffening causes an increased pulsation load on the heart and can contribute to atherogenesis, ventricular stffening, and end-orphan damage, particularly of the brain and kidney.
Vascular stiffness is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease that is independent of hypertension, diabetes, and abnormal blood lipids.
Increased vascular stiffness is independently associated with cardiovascular events and all cause mortality.
Aortic stiffness is a major risk factor for all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension