Arterial hypertension and hemorheology. What is the relationship?

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Pirrelli, Anna

Affiliations: Department of Clinical Methodology and Medico‐Surgical Technologies, University of Bari, Italy

Abstract: The strong relationship between arterial hypertension and hemorheological alteration present in all the vascular segments can be affirmed. These hemorheological changes are: an increase in the whole blood and plasma viscosity, in red blood cell (RBC) rigidity and aggregability and subsequently a decrease in oxygen delivery. Anyway, there are very interesting, still now unclear questions to be resolved: Can arterial hypertension (with its vascular and cardiac remodeling) be the most relevant factor inducing alterations in the macro and the microrheology? Can the altered hemorheology, above all in the microcircle, be one of the numerous causes of hypertension? What is the influence of tissue oxygenation changes in these situations: are these changes or effects of alterations during hypertension? In the next years using new technologies we hope that these problems will be resolved indicating new ways to treat hypertensives and to present its related complications.

Keywords: Hypertension, hemorheology, atherosclerosis

Journal: Clinical Hemorheology and Microcirculation, vol. 21, no. 3-4, pp. 157-160, 1999