title: Aldosterone and vascular damage.
abstract: Although the aldosterone escape mechanism is well known, aldosterone has often been neglected in the pathophysiologic consequences of the activated renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system in arterial hypertension and chronic heart failure. There is now evidence for vascular synthesis of aldosterone aside from its secretion by the adrenal cortex. Moreover, aldosterone is involved in vascular smooth muscle cell hypertrophy and hyperplasia, as well as in vascular matrix impairment and endothelial dysfunction. The mechanisms of action of aldosterone may be either delayed (genomic) or rapid (nongenomic). Deleterious effects of aldosterone leading to vascular target-organ damage include (besides salt and water retention) decreased arterial and venous compliance, increased peripheral vascular resistance, and impaired autonomic vascular control due to baroreflex dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology and Angiology, Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan 185, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium. daniel.duprez@rug.ac.be
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Duprez
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Buyzere
authors.forename: E R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Rietzschel
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Clement
mesh_terms: D000302:Adrenal Cortex / Q000378:metabolism; D000450:Aldosterone / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D001158:Arteries / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology; D017704:Baroreflex / Q000502:physiology; D001834:Body Water / Q000378:metabolism; D003187:Compliance; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000503:physiopathology; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D006965:Hyperplasia; D006973:Hypertension / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006984:Hypertrophy; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012084:Renin-Angiotensin System / Q000502:physiology; D012964:Sodium / Q000378:metabolism; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000502:physiology; D014883:Water-Electrolyte Imbalance / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D000450:Aldosterone; D012964:Sodium