ReviewImportance of improving tissue perfusion during treatment of hypertensionLévy, Bernard Author Information Lariboisière Hospital, Paris, France Correspondence and requests for reprints to Bernard Lévy, Lariboisière Hospital, 2, rue Ambroise-Paré, 75475 Paris Cedex 10, France Journal of Hypertension: August 2006 - Volume 24 - Issue - p S6-S9 doi: 10.1097/01.hjh.0000240040.05097.5e Buy Metrics Abstract Experimental and clinical studies have established a link between end-organ damage in hypertensive patients and the severe impairment of tissue perfusion and microcirculation structure and function. Microvascular rarefaction is constantly observed in hypertension, and probably contributes to higher systemic resistance and lower tissue perfusion. Endothelial dysfunction leading to impaired arteriolar reactivity is also characteristic of the microvascular dysfunction in hypertensive patients. The effective lowering of blood pressure while maintaining optimal tissue perfusion is therefore one of the major goals of antihypertensive therapy, in order to improve the cardiovascular prognosis of hypertensive patients. © 2006 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc.
