Structural and dynamic changes in the elastic arteries due to arterial hypertension and hypercholesterolemia.

Five groups of 20 patients each were studied to analyze the vascular dynamics and structure of the elastic arteries. Group I consisted of healthy young individuals (27 +/- 4 years); Group II of healthy adults (46 +/- 9 years); Group III of normotensive hypercholesterolemic adults (45 +/- 12 years and serum cholesterol > 239 mg/dl); Group IV of hypertensive normocholesterolemic adults (56 +/- 13 years); and Group V of hypertensive hypercholesterolemic adults (56 +/- 9 years). The differential arterial pressure was estimated and divided by the volume change (delta P/delta V) of the aorta and the carotid and brachial arteries. The volume change was calculated using the "cylinder formula", measuring the radius from the ultrasonographic vessel image and assigning the cylinder a height of 1 cm. The A/E index of the Doppler transmitral spectrum and the maximum velocity flow using Doppler in the above arteries were calculated. The presence of carotid atherosclerosis was observed and given an arbitrary scoring grade of 0, 1, or 2. A higher arterial and ventricular stiffness was found in the hypertensive patients regardless of the presence of hypercholesterolemia. A higher fall in Doppler velocity and an increase in atherosclerosis lesions were found in Group V. Based on the results of this study, it was concluded that vascular and left ventricular stiffness have a close relationship with arterial hypertension but not with hypercholesterolemia. The hypercholesterolemic patients had a higher prevalence of carotid atherosclerosis and a higher scoring grade of severity.