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Arterial viscosity increase in essential hypertension
Ar
terial wall viscosity is regulated by endothelium-derived NO and epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs) under baseline physiological conditions. Whether these factors regulate arterial viscosity during blood flow increase and whether this mechanism is affected in patients with essential hypertensive have remained unknown.In a recent publication in Atherosclerosis Dr Roca et al showed in a study of 18 untreated hypertensive patients and 14 normotensive controls that baseline arterial viscosity was increased in hypertensive patients. Whereas pharmacological inhibition of NO and/or EETs increased arterial viscosity in response to flow-mediated dilatation, these inhibitors did not modify the arterial viscosity in hypertensive patients.
Thus, the release of NO and EETs maintains a stable arterial wall viscosity during flow increase and this endothelial adaptive regulation is lost during essential hypertension, which may promote excessive viscous energy dissipation and cardiovascular uncoupling. Restoration of EETs availability with inhibitors of soluble epoxide hydrolase could thus constitute a promising pharmacological approach to restore the endothelial adaptive regulation of AWV.
Inserm U1096
Research performed in Inserm U1096 Unit in Rouen, concerns evaluation of the mechanisms behind and novel treatments of cardiovascular diseases, focusing on vascular protection and improvement of cardiac contractile function. This research is transversal, and performed both in experimental models and in human.
Vascular research:
Our work mostly concerns the protection of vascular endothelial cells in the context of cardiovascular risk factors or cardiovascular diseases (hypertension, diabetes, myocardial infarction, heart failure etc. ). We also investigate new biotherapy approaches for stimulation of cardiac angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis.
Cardiac research:
Development and assessment of new treatments of heart failure, as well as the clinical evaluation of percutaneous aortic valve replacement.
Réalisation Internet Bordeaux 