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| Slide Lecture Programs |
| 2000 Core Curriculum |
| The endothelium: New insights into the origins and treatment of CAD |
August 31, 2000
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Update on the endothelium
- Well-recognized cardiovascular risk factors, such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, and smoking, are associated with changes in the vessel wall that lead to cardiovascular disease.
- One of the earliest changes associated with these risk factors is an increase in oxidative stress in the vessel wall.1 This causes endothelial cells to decrease production of some compounds, and increase production of others.
- Production of nitric oxide (NO), a powerful vasodilator, is decreased. Production of vasoconstrictive substances, such as endothelin and angiotensin II, is increased. Other compounds are released that promote plaque formation, clotting, and inflammation.
- The vascular endothelium secretes factors that modulate blood vessel tone and also participate in the development and progression of atherosclerosis. In subsequent slides, the changes that occur in the endothelium will be discussed in greater detail.
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