Mechanisms Of Hypertension Flashcards
What happens to the aorta with age?
It stiffens
Inc in systolic
Dec in dystolic
Inc pulse pressure
Purpose of elastic arteries
Smoothes blood pressure
Protects the micro vessels
Consequences of inc sys & dec dias pressure
Sys hypertension
Heart failure
Myocardial ishaemia
Consequence of shear stress on NO production
NO production decreases
Pulse pressure is a measure of….
Stiffness
Wider PP, increased stiffness
As diastolic pressure goes down with age, risk ………
Increases
What’s the best predictor of risk in older people: S, D or PP?
Pulse pressure
Direct, non invasive methods of assessing arterial stiffness
Ultrasound
MRI
Indirect, non invasive ways of measuring arterial stiffness
PP! Pulse wave velocity! Windkessel Pulse wave analysis! Photoplethysmography
What will your carotid femoral pulse wave velocity be if your aorta is nice and elastic?
Low
5-6
What happens to the carotid femoral pulse wave velocity if your aorta is stiff?
It increases
Reaches 12- trouble!
How do you work out the aortic pulse wave velocity from femoral & carotid pressures?
Carotid - Femoral = aPWV
What’s more common- S or D hypertension?
Systolic
What happens to elastin in arteries as we age?
Elastin breaks down
What happens to the calcium content of arteries with age?
Increases
Arteries calcify with age
