title: Vascular failure: a hypothesis.
abstract: Although cardiac failure has been studied extensively, vascular failure is not a recognizable term. We suggest that it is reasonable to argue that failure of the vessel to control its mass, contractile capacity, and lumen will involve pathways similar to cardiac failure. Vascular failure, or perhaps more accurately arterial failure, has very different consequences. Failure to control mass and external diameter will result in hypertension or loss of lumen in atherosclerosis. We review what is known about this normal remodeling response and its failure, and propose directions for research.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, I-420 HSB, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195-7335, USA. schwartzs@u.washington.edu
authors.forename: Stephen M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Schwartz
authors.forename: Randolph L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Geary
authors.forename: Lawrence D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Adams
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy