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Ageing and endothelial dysfunction

P.M. Vanhoutte*

Institut de Recherches Internationales Servier (IRIS), Courbevoie, France

* Correspondence: Paul M. Vanhoutte, IRIS, 6 place des Pléiades, 92415 Courbevoie Cedex, France.

Abstract

Although the available information is limited, a survey of the literature concerning the effect of ageing on endothelium-dependent responses in animal blood vessels suggests that the release of endothelium-derived relaxing factors (nitric oxide and endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor) is reduced, whereas that of endothelium-derived vasoconstrictor prostanoids is augmented. The very few in vitro data on isolated human blood vessels and a number of studies conducted in intact people concur with the animal data. Taken in conjunction, these findings suggest that ageing is accompanied by progressive endothelial dysfunction, which sets the scene for development of atherosclerosis.

Key Words: Atherosclerosis • endothelium-derived contracting factor • endothelium-dependent contractions • endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor • endothelium-dependent relaxations • nitric oxide • prostanoids • superoxide anions


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