The aortic mechanical properties in patients with the essential hypertension environmentally exposed to cigaret smoke

CONTEXT: The impairment of the aortic mechanical features constitutes the independent predictor of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the present research has been the determination of the influence of the environmental exposure to cigaret smoke on the aortic mechanical properties, namely, the stiffness and elasticity of aorta, in patients with essential hypertension. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The research has covered 128 people with essential hypertension: 64 nonsmokers, declaring the environmental exposure to cigaret smoke (group A) and 64 nonsmokers declaring the lack of environmental exposure to cigaret smoke selected on the case to case basis (group B). Aortic mechanical properties have been evaluated on the basis of the parameters: aortic stiffness index (AoSI), aortic strain (AoS) and aortic distensibility (AoD). RESULTS: In group A, the average values of AoSI were significantly higher, and the average values of AoS and AoD significantly lower than in group B. It has been documented that the older age and environmental exposure to cigaret smoke form independent risk factors of increasing the aortic stiffness expressed by higher values of AoSI, whereas the older age, higher pulse pressure (PP) values and environmental exposure to cigaret smoke - independent risk factors of aortic elasticity reduction expressed for the age and "passive smoking" by lower values of AoS and AoD and for PP - lower values of AoD. CONCLUSION: In patients with essential hypertension, the environmental exposure to cigaret smoke seems to result in impairment of the aortic mechanical properties.