Central Versus Peripheral Artery Stiffening and Cardiovascular Risk

The large elastic arteries fulfill an important role in buffering the cyclical changes in blood pressure, which result from intermittent ventricular ejection. With aging and accrual of cardiovascular risk factors, the elastic arteries stiffen, and this process holds a number of deleterious consequences for the cardiovascular system and major organs. Indeed, arterial stiffness is now recognized as an important, independent determinant of...