Journal of hypertension
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Journal of hypertension · Aug 2010
Increased circulating CD31+/annexin V+ apoptotic microparticles and decreased circulating endothelial progenitor cell levels in hypertensive patients with microalbuminuria.
Microalbuminuria is associated with an increased risk for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, but the pathophysiologic mechanism underlying the association between urinary albumin excretion and cardiovascular disease remains unclear. Here, we tested the hypothesis that enhanced endothelial apoptotic microparticles and decreased endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) levels might contribute to the pathophysiology of microalbuminuria or macroalbuminuria in cardiovascular disease. ⋯ These findings suggest that hypertensive patients with microalbuminuria or macroalbuminuria have increased endothelial apoptotic microparticles and decreased circulating EPC levels, which may contribute to atherosclerotic disease progression and enhanced cardiovascular risk in hypertensive patients with nephropathy.
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Journal of hypertension · Aug 2010
Chronic kidney disease as an independent risk factor for new-onset atrial fibrillation in hypertensive patients.
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) has recently been recognized to be a powerful predictor of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Atrial fibrillation (AF), which is a common arrhythmia in hypertensives, is associated with increased risks of cardiovascular events and death. However, the association between CKD and the onset of AF has not been fully elucidated. The present study assessed the hypothesis that CKD may influence the onset of AF in hypertensives. ⋯ The present study demonstrated that the complication of CKD, especially progressed renal dysfunction, was a powerful predictor of new-onset AF in hypertensive patients, independently of left ventricular hypertrophy and left atrial dilatation.
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Journal of hypertension · Aug 2010
Nitric oxide-independent stimulation of soluble guanylate cyclase reduces organ damage in experimental low-renin and high-renin models.
The nitric oxide-soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC)-cGMP signal transduction pathway is impaired in different cardiovascular diseases, including pulmonary hypertension, heart failure and arterial hypertension. Riociguat is a novel stimulator of soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC). However, little is known about the effects of sGC stimulators in experimental models of hypertension. We thus investigated the cardio-renal protective effects of riociguat in low-renin and high-renin rat models of hypertension. ⋯ We demonstrate for the first time that the novel sGC stimulator riociguat shows in two independent models of hypertension a potent protection against cardiac and renal target organ damage.