Title:Vascular Inflammation in Hypertension: Targeting Lipid Mediators Unbalance and Nitrosative Stress
Volume: 17
Issue: 1
Author(s): Alexandre S. Bruno, Patricia das Dores Lopes, Karla C.M. de Oliveira, Anizia K. de Oliveira and Stefany B. de Assis Cau*
Affiliation:
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biological Science, Federal University of Minas Gerais, MG,Brazil
Keywords:
Hypertension, vascular inflammation, cyclooxygenases, NF-κB, iNOS, NSAIDs, NO-NSAIDs.
Abstract: Arterial hypertension is a worldwide public health threat. High Blood Pressure (BP) is
commonly associated with endothelial dysfunction, nitric oxide synthases (NOS) unbalance and
high peripheral vascular resistance. In addition to those, inflammation has also been designated as
one of the major components of BP increase and organ damage in hypertension. This minireview
discusses vascular inflammatory triggers of high BP and aims to fill the existing gaps of antiinflammatory
therapy of hypertension. Among the reasons discussed, enhanced prostaglandins
rather than resolvins lipid mediators, immune cell infiltration and oxidative/nitrosative stress are
pivotal players of BP increase within the inflammatory hypothesis. To address these inflammatory
targets, this review also proposes new concepts in hypertension treatment with non-steroidal antiinflammatory
drugs (NSAIDs), nitric oxide-releasing NSAIDs (NO-NSAIDs) and specialized
proresolving mediators (SPM). In this context, the failure of NSAIDs in hypertension treatment
seems to be associated with the reduction of endogenous NO bioavailability, which is not necessarily
an effect of all drug members of this pharmacological class. For this reason, NO-releasing
NSAIDs seem to be safer and more specific therapy to treat vascular inflammation in hypertension
than regular NSAIDs.
