Significance of inflammation in the development of vascular wall stiffness

Abstract

This review deals with arterial wall stiffness in rheumatic diseases. It shows a role of inflammation in the pathogenesis of increased vascular stiffness, considers its mechanisms at the level of altered cell components, the clinical signs of an inflammation-arterial stiffness association and the possibilities of its reduction, and a search for novel therapeutic strategies to diminish the stiffness of arterial vessels with antirheumatic drugs.

Keywords

• inflammation
• vascular stiffness
• rheumatic diseases