Via practica 1/2007

REACTIVE OXYGEN SPECIES AND SIGNIFICANCE OF ANTIOXIDANTS IN HYPERTENSION

Oxidative stress has been suggested to be involved in the pathogenesis of experimental as well as human hypertension via a number of possible mechanisms. While chronic administration of antioxidants partially attenuated the blood pressure increase occurring in young hypertensive rats, the same antioxidants were less effective in adult rats with fully developed hypertension. Human studies did not confirm the blood pressure decrease after antioxidant treatment in developed hypertension as well. Thus, the antioxidant administration should be more efficient in the prevention than in the treatment of hypertension.

Keywords: hypertension, cardiovascular system, nitric oxide, antioxidants.