Objective To investigate whether endothelial dysfunction occurred in genetically vulnerable normotensive patients. Methods Endothelial function was assessed by high-resolution vascular ultrasound. The diameter of brachial arter i es were measured at rest, during reactive hyperemia and after sublingual nitrogl ycerine (GTN) in 70 young subjects with a mean age of 44.7 ( 12.1 years. Among t hem, there were 30 patients with essential hypertension (group 1), 20 normotensi ve patients with a family history of hypertension (group 2) and 20 normotensive patients without a family history of cardiovascular diseases that served as cont rols (group 3). Results Flow-mediated dilatation of brachial arteries was sig nificantly reduced in-group 1 and 2 when compared to group 3 (Group 1: 6.8( 3.9 vs group 2:8.0 (3.6 vs group 3:13.2 (5.9%, P<0.01). Conclusion Endothelium-dependent vasodilatation was impaired in the young normotensive patients with a family history of hypertension.
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