The Contribution of Inflammation to the Development of Hypertension Mediated by Increased Arterial Stiffness

Abstract

In middle-aged Japanese men without hypertension at study baseline, long-term active inflammation appears to be associated with a longitudinal increase of arterial stiffness. In turn, this longitudinal increase of arterial stiffness appears to be associated with longitudinal elevation of blood pressure to the hypertensive range. Thus, systemic inflammation may play a role in the pathogenesis of hypertension by the progression of arterial stiffness.