Impaired Endothelium-Dependent Vasodilation in Patients With Essential Hypertension

Abstract

Patients with essential hypertension have impaired endothelium-dependent vasodilator responses to both acetylcholine and bradykinin. These findings indicate that the endothelial dysfunction in this condition is not related to a specific defect of a single intracellular signal-transduction pathway and suggest a more generalized abnormality of endothelial vasodilator function.