Vascular Repair and Remodeling: A Review

Abstract

Vascular remodeling is alterations in the structure of resistance vessels contributing to elevated systemic vascular resistance in hypertension. In this review, physiopathology of vascular remodeling is discussed, and the impact of antihypertensive drug treatment on remodeling is described, emphasizing on human data, fundamentally as an independent predictor of cardiovascular risk in hypertensive patients. Then we discussed a vascular repair by endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) that play important roles in the regeneration of the vascular endothelial cells (ECs). The normal arterial vessel wall is mostly composed of ECs, vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), and macrophages. Endothelial impairment is a major contributor to atherosclerosis and restenosis after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Reendothelialization can effectively inhibit VSMC migration and proliferation and decrease neointimal thickening.