Assessment of Endothelial Function Using Ultrasound

Abstract

The pathological complications of atherosclerosis, namely heart attacks and strokes, remain the leading cause of mortality in the Western world (Lloyd-Jones & Adams et al. 2010). Preceding atherosclerosis is endothelial dysfunction (Ross 1993; Cohn 1999; Quyyumi 2003). The endothelium comprises a continuous monolayer of cells which separate the vascular wall from the circulation (Lerman & Zeiher 2005). Disruption of this essential monolayer is thought to occur early in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease (CVD). There is, therefore, interest in the application of non-invasive clinical tools to assess the function and health of this essential monolayer.