title: Isolated systolic hypertension and the risk of vascular disease.
abstract: Hypertension is present in 60% to 70% of the population over 60 years of age and may result in cardiovascular complications such as stroke, coronary heart disease, and heart failure. In this review, the role of arterial stiffness, endothelial function, atherosclerosis, and oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of hypertension is discussed extensively. Antihypertensive drug treatment may control high blood pressure and prevent complications. This review summarizes the results of several placebo-controlled and comparative clinical trials that have studied the efficacy of different classes of antihypertensive drugs.
authors.affiliation: Studiecoördinatiecentrum, Laboratorium Hypertensie, Department voor Moleculair en Cardiovasculair Onderzoek, Campus Gasthuisberg, Herestraat 49, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium. tim.nawrot@med.kule uven.ac.be
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nawrot
authors.forename: Elly
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Den Hond
authors.forename: Lutgarde
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Thijs
authors.forename: Jan A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Staessen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000150:complications; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004548:Elasticity; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D013599:Systole; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D014655:Vascular Resistance
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents