Is impaired flow-mediated dilatation of the brachial artery a cardiovascular risk factor?
Endothelial dysfunction is thought to be an important factor in the development of atherosclerosis. Over the past decade, a non-invasive technique has evolved to evaluate flow-mediated vasodilation ([FMD), an endothelium-dependent function, in the brachial artery. FMD decreases with increasing age and subjects with diabetes mellitus, hypercholesterolemia, smokers and hypertension have decreased FMD. There are a few concise studies reporting that FMD predicts cardiovascular events. However, the assumption that focal measurement of brachial artery FMD predicts coronary artery disease deserves further investigation.
Agewall
Stefan
S
Department of Cardiology, Huddinge University Hospital, Karolinska Institute, S 141 86, Stockholm, Sweden. stefan.agewall@cardiol.hs.sll.se
D001916:Brachial Artery / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003935:Diagnostic Techniques, Cardiovascular; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D012307:Risk Factors; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000502:physiology*