Carotid artery stiffness with applications to cardiovascular pharmacology.

1. Increased carotid stiffness is a characteristic feature of cardiovascular aging, hypertension and, to a lesser extent, atherosclerosis. 2. The pharmacological approach, using nitrates, converting enzyme inhibitors, calcium entry blockers and blockers of the autonomic nervous system, may decrease carotid stiffness through 3 different mechanism: passive decrease in blood pressure, active change in smooth muscle tone, and structural modifications of the carotid arterial wall. 3. In recent years, such changes have been studied in vivo, in both humans and rats, using original in situ carotid preparations and echotracking ultrasound techniques of high resolution, allowing to evaluate both static and dynamic stiffness. 4. This new approach for investigating arterial vessel through changes in both stiffness and thickness should provide a better evaluation of drug effects in cardiovascular pharmacology and new interpretations for cardiovascular events related to morbidity and mortality.