Familial tendency for hypertension is associated with increased vascular stiffness

Abstract

Objective: Hypertension is the leading cause of cardiovascular disease and premature death. New methods for early detection of hypertension and its consequences can reduce complications arising from uncontrolled hypertension. Pulse-wave velocity (PWV), a measure of arterial stiffness, has been recognized as a valuable tool in assessing risk for cardiovascular complications, although its use in clinical practice is currently limited. Here we examine whether brachial--ankle PWV (baPWV) and femoral--ankle PWV (faPWV) are elevated in nonhypertensive volunteers, with and without a history of familial hypertension. Methods: Volunteers were recruited and questioned as to their medical background and family history. Participants were divided into two groups based on history of familial hypertension and were measured for baPWV and faPWV. Carotid--femoral PWV was computed from these measurements. Results: A total of 82 healthy nonhypertensive volunteers (mean age 31.4 ± 9.6) were recruited. Among the study cohort, 43.7% had a history of familial hypertension. There were no between-group differences in any other clinical or demographic characteristics. Both baPWV and faPWV were significantly elevated in volunteers with a history of familial hypertension (10.86 ± 1.69 vs. 9.68 ± 1.52 m/s, P < 0.004, and 7.01 ± 1.65 vs. 6.28 ± 1.26 m/s, P < 0.028, respectively). Conclusion: Volunteers with a history of familial hypertension present with elevated baPWV and faPWV. This is suggestive of increased central and peripheral arterial stiffness in susceptible individuals before the onset of hypertension. Routine measurement of these parameters may allow for early intervention and risk stratification, especially in persons with a history of familial hypertension.

Silencing the odorant coreceptor (Orco) disrupts sex pheromonal communication and feeding responses in Blattella germanica: toward an alternative target for controlling insect‐transmitted human diseases

“…The selection of Orco was dependent on its indispensable role in integrating all ligand-specific ORs to facilitate olfaction. In accordance with previous studies, 47,50,51 1 μg of specific dsRNA in 1 μl RNase-free water was initially injected into virgin adults, but no significant RNAi effects were observed compared with those individuals with dsGFP injection after 72 h treatment (data not shown). Furthermore, the injection dose was doubled to 2 μg of dsRNA in 1 μl RNase-free water for each and the death rate was < 10%.…”

Arterial Stiffness Assessment by Pulse Wave Velocity in Patients with Metabolic Syndrome and Its Components: Is It a Useful Tool in Clinical Practice?

“…It is important to measure PWV under stabilized BP and HR values, particularly in patients with newly diagnosed hypertension in whom detection of organ damage mediated by asymptomatic hypertension has an impact on risk stratification [ 111 , 112 ]. PWV is positively correlated with both SBP and DBP [ 113 ]. An increase in PWV is associated with a significantly higher risk of hypertension incidence [ 114 ].…”