This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. In this study we are examining the effect of brief hypertension on the vascular endothelium by measuring flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD) of the brachial artery before and after leg press exercise induced hypertension. Brachial artery FMD is a noninvasive measure of arterial endothelial function that correlates with coronary artery endothelial function and is blunted in all known atherosclerotic risk states. If weight training induced brief hypertension blunts FMD, it would add to the evidence that brief episodes of hypertension may represent a previously unrecognized risk factor for atherosclerosis. 10 subjects (9 men and 1 woman) aged 22 to 40 years (mean 30.7) without known cardiovascular risk factors who regularly engaged in weight training have participated in this study. In these well trained athletes, we have not seen a reduction in FMD after exercise induced hypertension. Future plans include testing non-athletes to determine if this represents an adaptation seen only in athletes who are regularly exposed to brief episodes of hypertension, or a general resistance to the effect of brief hypertension in humans.
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