Background:Multiple investigations, both in experimental models and in middle-aged patients with essential hypertension, demonstrate impaired endothelium-dependent vasodilatation. Hypothesis:We attempted to determine whether hypertension still exerts additional negative effect on endothelial function of large arteries in hypertensive elderly patients who may already be affected by endothelial dysfunction due to aging. Methods:We compared 13 elderly patients with hypertension [69 ± 9 years, (mean ± standard deviation)] with 13 matched healthy elderly subjects (72 ± 6 years) as controls. Using high-resolution vascular ultrasound, we measured brachial artery responses to reactive hyperemia (with increased flow causing endothelium-dependent dilatation) and sublingual nitroglycerin (causing endothelium-independent dilatation). Results:Flow-mediated dilatation correlated inversely with age (r = –0.60, p = 0.03) in the controls. Flow-mediated dilatation was significantly impaired in hypertensive elderly patients (6.7 ± 3.3 vs. 13.3 ± 1.8% in controls, p
