title: Role of antihypertensive drugs in arterial 'de-stiffening' and central pulsatile hemodynamics.
abstract: Arterial stiffness is an independent predictor of cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality in patients with hypertension, as well as a potential therapeutic target. There is increasing awareness that the pulsatile hemodynamics (central blood pressure [CBP], pulse pressure [PP], wave reflections [augmentation index or AIx] and pulse wave velocity [PWV]) may provide better insight into the pathophysiology of CV disorders and target organ damage related to hypertension. Different antihypertensive drugs produce diverse effects on arterial stiffness variables, despite similar effects on peripheral (brachial) blood pressure. Identifying the pharmacologic interventions that can improve arterial stiffness ('de-stiffening' treatment) is a promising field of research.
authors.affiliation: Second Propedeutic Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Hippokration Hospital, Greece.
authors.forename: Charalambos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Koumaras
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tzimou
authors.forename: Eirini
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stavrinou
authors.forename: Theodora
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Griva
authors.forename: Thomas D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Gossios
authors.forename: Niki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Katsiki
authors.forename: Vasilios G
authors.initials: VG
authors.lastname: Athyros
authors.forename: Dimitri P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Mikhailidis
authors.forename: Asterios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karagiannis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D059289:Vascular Stiffness / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents