title: Microcirculation in the elderly.
abstract: Studies on microcirculation in the elderly include observations in the small vessels of the bulbar conjunctiva and of the nailbed with respect to a classification of the findings according to a number of semeiologic criteria (diameter and shape alterations, terminal capillary network, intravascular red cell aggregation). In vascular diseases of the elderly there are typical alterations of the capillaroscopic findings in the bulbar conjunctiva and in the nailbed, particularly in cases of arteriosclerosis, arterial hypertension, diabetic microangiopathy, heart failure, ischemic myocardiopathies. During the treatment with some vasoactive drugs (nicotinic acid and its derivatives, buflomedil, CPD-choline) there are marked modifications of the small conjunctival vessels, with evident dilatations, appearance of collaterals, increased homogeneity of the blood flow, better evidence of the capillary network and reduction of intravascular red cell aggregation.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000473:pathology; D003566:Cytidine Diphosphate Choline / Q000494:pharmacology; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000473:pathology; D004903:Erythrocyte Aggregation; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000473:pathology; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000473:pathology*; D009262:Nails / Q000098:blood supply; D009525:Niacin / Q000494:pharmacology; D011759:Pyrrolidines / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D011759:Pyrrolidines; D009525:Niacin; D003566:Cytidine Diphosphate Choline; C010651:buflomedil