F029: Effects of hypertension and smoke upon function and structure of heart and vessels

In order to assess the impact of cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension and smoke upon functional and structural parameters of vessels and heart we studied normotensives (NT); NT-smokers (NT-S), essential hypertensives (EH) and EH-smokers (EH+S) paired by age and gender. It was measured by the high resolution B-mode ultrasound the endothelium dependent (EDV) and independent vasodilation (NEDV), as well as the intimal-media thickness of brachial artery (IMT-Ba) and carotid artery (IMT-Ca) and by the Echo-Doppler the E and A wave ratio (E/A), the atrial desacceleration time (ADT) and the left ventricular mass index (LVMI). Results: Mean ± SEM EDV and NEDV: % changes in brachial artery diameter. *p < 0.01 vs NT (See Table) NT (n = 50) NT-S (n = 14) EH (n = 13) EH+S (n = 10) EDV (%) 17.1 ± 1.3 8.2 ± 1.9* 8.5 ± 2.4* 9.1 ± 2.3* NEDV (%) 14.0 ± 1.6 12.3 ± 3.2 10.2 ± 2.1 6.4 ± 1.8* IMT-Ba (mm) 0.024 ± 0.001 0.024 ± 0.002 0.032 ± 0.001* 0.039 ± 0.002* IMT-Ca (mm) 0.056 ± 0.05 0.0507 ± 0.001 0.070 ± 0.009* 0.068 ± 0.003* E/A 1.54 ± 0.10 1.65 ± 0.13 1.12 ± 0.09* 1.53 ± 0.42 ADT (ms) 183.1 ± 9.2 196.7 ± 9.6 201.1 ± 14.4* 213.3 ± 7.0* LVMI (g/m2) 75.1 ± 3.1 62.6 ± 5.0 88.4 ± 5.1 94.2 ± 9.8* Thus when alone both smoke and hypertension impaired EDV but not NEDV. However when combined NEDV was also impaired. Changes in brachial and carotid arteries thickness as well as in heart function and structure was observed only in hypertensives. In conclusion: Smoke impair function but not alter vessel structure while hypertension induces both: function impairment and changes in structure of vessels and heart.