Work

Arterial Stiffness: From Basic Primers to Integrative Physiology

Year: 2024

Type: review

Abstract: The elastic properties of conductance arteries are one of the most important hemodynamic functions in the body, and data continue to emerge regarding the importance of their dysfunction in vascular aging and a range of cardiovascular diseases. Here, we provide new insight into the integrative physiology of arterial stiffening and its clinical consequence. We also comprehensively review progress made on pathways/molecules that appear today as important basic determinants of arterial stiffness, particularly those mediating the vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) contractility, plasticity and stiffness. We focus on membrane and nuclear mechanotransduction, clearance function of the vascular wall, phenotypic switching of VSMCs, immunoinflammatory stimuli and epigenetic mechanisms. Finally, we discuss the most important advances of the latest clinical studies that revisit the classical therapeutic concepts of arterial stiffness and lead to a patient-by-patient strategy according to cardiovascular risk exposure and underlying disease.

Source: Annual Review of Physiology

DOI: 10.1146/annurev-physiol-042022-031925

Authors: Véronique Regnault, Patrick Lacolley, Stéphane Laurent

Institutions: Inserm, Défaillance Cardiovasculaire Aiguë et Chronique, Université de Lorraine, Université Paris Cité, Paris Cardiovascular Research Center

Language: English

Topic: Cardiovascular Health and Disease Prevention

Subfield: Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Funder: European Regional Development Fund