Evaluation of the elastic properties of the arterial wall in young patients with arterial hypertension

To study early impairments in the elastic properties of the vascular wall in arterial hypertension (AH), 32 hypertensive patients of young age (18,9±2,6 years) were examined, a control group comprised 35 healthy young males of the same age Doppler ultrasound study (DUSS) of the common carotid (CC), brachial, and radial arteries was performed and CC wall elasticity modules, aortic compliance, and pulse wave velocity (PWV) were estimated Analyzing the results of DUSS in patients with AH revealed no significant differences in velocity parameters and in the values of peripheral resistance The estimation of the elasticity module at rest and during functional tests demonstrated a less increment in this parameter in patients with AH during exercise than in the control group Elasticity module changes were heteiodirectional during nitroglycerine tests The estimation of PWV revealed a significant increase in this parameter, which was indicative of early impairments in the elastic properties of the vascular wall The high informative \ alue and technical simplicity permit the use of PWV as a screening of vascular wall lesion in patients with AH