Over the past decade, in connection with the continuous increase of mortality from cardiovascular diseases, attention of scientists was tied down to the early reveal of vascular lesions and search for new biomarkers. Generally known, that an adequate hemodynamics is determined by damping properties of the great vessels, therefore their viscoelasticity properties are of particular interest. It is important to identify the changes in the arteries’ structure prior to onset of clinical symptoms of vascular disease. The measurement of pulse wave velocity (PWV) is one of main investigational methods for arteries’ properties; based on experts’ data it serves as an independent predictor of cardiovascular complications. The methods of estimation of elasticity or stiffness of arteries wall acquire all greater popularity, so as they allow to estimate not only structure but function of vessels. For the estimation of the structural‑functional state of major vessels, direct visualizing (USI, МRT) and indirect technique (contour analysis of pulse wave, plethysmography, sphygmography etc.) are used. In clinical and outpatient practice, the most popular are non‑invasive, affordable and easily reproducible techniques. The authors presented methods for determining the increased local and regional stiffness of the arterial wall using such devices as Complior, SphygmoCor, PulsePen, PolySpectr SPV, VaSera‑1000 and other. However, a demand exists today for novel methods for estimation of vascular stiffness. To simplify and improve the determination of the pulse wave velocity, the authors have proposed a method based on photoplethysmography and elucidated the main advantages and shortcomings, reveled during investigation. The aim of this publication was to inform the physicians about the importance of researches of arterial wall stiffness, the most widespread and demanded in clinical practice methods of its determination, about conditions, where vascular stiffness should be assessed, the existing limitations, as well as issues, still unsolved in this area.

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Aim: To create a device for PWPV evaluation which would be cheap and could be easily used not only at the inpatient but also at the restorative outpatient and health-resort stages of rehabilitation. Materials and Methods: The clinical examination included 90 people who were randomized into the group of observation (n=75) with patients of AH various degrees. 15 practically healthy persons were involved into the control group. PWPV was measured using a specially designed device according to the generally accepted carotid-femoral technique. Results: Our results showed that the PWPV of healthy persons measured using original device failed to differ statistically from the literature reference values and indicated the correspondence of the measurements we obtained with the data received using traditional apparatus. Out data of original PWPV measurement obtained from examined and treated patients do not differ from the results obtained in wide range of patients aged from 40 to 70 years with the 1st -2nd stages of AH. Conclusions: We described an efficacy of PWPV determination using an original device. The use of the proposed device does not contradict with the generally accepted method of vascular stiffness measuring and studying. The results obtained on it are comparable with the data of the most used stationary device SphygmoCor for these purposes. The prospects of the device using are without the limitations in patients with vascular diseases at the stage of rehabilitation.

Annotation. It is common knowledge that the elastic properties of blood vessels change with age. Many domestic and foreign authors acknowledge the impact of the increase in stiffness and decrease in elasticity of large arteries on the pathogenesis of most cardiovascular diseases, particularly in the development of arterial hypertension. The aim is to evaluate the comparative effectiveness of atorvastatin and rosuvastatin on vascular stiffness in patients with arterial hypertension. 75 patients with arterial hypertension aged 44.4±0.99 years were examined. 15 apparently healthy individuals were selected for the control group. All patients were divided into 3 groups depending on the therapy. Pulse wave velocity (PWV) measurements were performed twice using the generally accepted carotid-femoral technique. The inclusion criteria for participation in the study were: patient age up to 59 years; arterial hypertension of the I and II degrees. Statistical data processing was carried out using the Statistica 10.0 program. The significance of the differences between the groups in quantitative terms was assessed using the Student's t-test. In all the studied groups, the initial index of PWV exceeded its norm. Against the background of treatment, a significant decrease in this indicator was observed in all 3 groups. The most positive effect was obtained in patients who additionally received statins. Rosuvastatin showed the best results. Thus, the modern strategy of treating patients with arterial hypertension should also be aimed at achieving regression of vascular remodeling. The use of statins improves the elastic properties of blood vessels.