title: [Preclinical cardiovascular diseases and aortic stiffness].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare aortic stiffness (represented by aortic pulse wave velocity - PWVao) as a marker of cardiovascular risk with cardiovascular risk estimated by standard scoring systems in treated hypertensive patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a group of 41 hypertensive patients without clinical manifestation of cardiovascular disease (18 men/23 women, mean age 59 years) we investigated the presence of risk factors and preclinical cardiovascular diseases. To estimate cardiovascular risk we have used SCORE-HDL model and categorical risk stratification recommended by ESC/ESH. Linear regression was used for evaluation of relation between risk estimation scores and PWVao values.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We have found out statistically significant relationship between PWVao and cardiovascular risk assessment systems in our group of patients. The correlation between PWVao and ESC/ESH risk stratification (r = 0.414, P < 0.01) was the most relevant, the correlation between PWVao and SCORE-HDL values was also significant (r = 0.315; P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increased aortic stiffness as one of the preclinical cardiovascular diseases can be an integrative marker of cardiovascular risk in patients with arterial hypertension.
authors.forename: Mária
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Potočárová
authors.forename: Jozef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bulas
authors.forename: Marta Filková
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Karabová
authors.forename: Ján
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Murín
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Janiga
mesh_terms: D001011:Aorta / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011673:Pulsatile Flow; D063177:Pulse Wave Analysis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index