Most traditional cardiovascular risk factors alter the structure and/or function of arteries. An assessment of arterial wall integrity could therefore allow accurate prediction of cardiovascular risk in individuals. The term ‘arterial stiffness’ denotes alterations in the mechanical properties of arteries, and much effort has focused on how best to measure this. Pulse pressure, pulse wave velocity, pulse waveform analysis, localized assessment of blood vessel mechanics and other methods have all been used. We review the methodology underlying each of these measures, and present an evidence-based critique of their relative merits and limitations. An overview is also given of the drug therapies that may prove useful in the treatment of patients with altered arterial mechanics.
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August 2007
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Review Article|
July 13 2007
Arterial stiffness: clinical relevance, measurement and treatment
Paul K. Hamilton
;
1Department of Therapeutics and Pharmacology, Queen's University Belfast, Whitla Medical Building, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, U.K.
Correspondence: Dr Paul K. Hamilton (email pk_hamilton@yahoo.co.uk).
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Christopher J. Lockhart
;
Christopher J. Lockhart
1Department of Therapeutics and Pharmacology, Queen's University Belfast, Whitla Medical Building, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, U.K.
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Cathy E. Quinn
;
Cathy E. Quinn
1Department of Therapeutics and Pharmacology, Queen's University Belfast, Whitla Medical Building, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, U.K.
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Gary E. Mcveigh
Gary E. Mcveigh
1Department of Therapeutics and Pharmacology, Queen's University Belfast, Whitla Medical Building, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, U.K.
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Clin Sci (Lond) (2007) 113 (4): 157–170.
Article history
Received:
March 07 2007
Revision Received:
April 02 2007
Accepted:
April 04 2007
Citation
Paul K. Hamilton, Christopher J. Lockhart, Cathy E. Quinn, Gary E. Mcveigh; Arterial stiffness: clinical relevance, measurement and treatment. Clin Sci (Lond) 1 August 2007; 113 (4): 157–170. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/CS20070080
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