Arterial Stiffness as a Marker of Cardiovascular Diseases

The current cardiovascular risk estimation scales (Framingham, SCORE, PROCAM, etc.) not fully predict it. In this regard, the search for new, more objective markers of risk, one of which is arterial stiffness is conducted.

The estimation of major risk factors impact on vascular stiffness in 48 patients (30 men and 18 women) aged 28–49 years (mean age 33,1±14,3 years) not suffering from hypertension and coronary heart disease. All patients were scored «low-risk»on the SCORE scale. It is found that in young and middle age patients with normal blood pressure (BP) gender, smoking, and abdominal obesity impact on the vascular stiffness parameters (pulse wave propagation time, the maximum rate of rise in blood pressure, arterial stiffness index, augmentation index, outpa tient index of stiffness). Tainted hereditary and moderate hypercholesterolemia do not have a significant effect.