The Vascular System: Anatomical, Physiological, Pathological, and Aging Considerations.

The vascular system is one of the earliest recognized anatomical systems. It is composed of 3 parts; arterial, capillary, and venous, each with their own unique anatomy and physiology. Blood flow through this system is compromised in aging, atherosclerosis and peripheral vascular disease, and the practicing anesthesiologist must understand both the physiology and pathophysiology of the vascular tree.

Restoring Blood Pressure in Hypertensive Mice Fails to Fully Reverse Vascular Stiffness.

Background: Hypertension is a well-established driver of vascular remodeling and stiffening. The goal of this study was to evaluate whether restoring normal blood pressure (BP) fully restores vascular stiffness toward that of normotensive controls.

Methods: C57Bl6/J male mice received angiotensin II (angII; 1 μg/kg/min) via infusion pump for 8 weeks (hypertension group: HH), angII for 4 weeks (hypertension group: H4), angII for 4 weeks followed by 4 weeks of recovery (reversal group: HN), or sham treatment (normotensive group: NN).