Arterial stiffness and vascular aging: mechanisms, prevention, and therapy

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The central underlying mechanisms of cardiovascular diseases are vascular aging and associated arterial stiffness. Arterial stiffness is characterized by structural (e.g., tunica media calcification, alterations in vascular smooth muscle cells, and fibrosis) and functional (e.g., loss of Windkessel function, elevated pulse pressure, and development of isolated systolic hypertension) vascular changes that cause microvascular dysfunction and end-organ damage (e.g., heart failure, vascular dementia, hypertensive retinopathy, and chronic kidney disease). Current research indicates that arterial stiffness is an independent risk…

• NS
  Novartis Stiftung für Medizinisch-Biologische Forschung
• ER
  European Regional Development Fund

  Awards: ZS/2024/05/187256 to PM, ZS/2024/02/184014