Prolonged sitting and peripheral vascular function: potential mechanisms and methodological considerations

Abstract

Sitting time is associated with increased risks for subclinical atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease development, and this is thought to be partially due to sitting-induced disturbances in macro- and microvascular function as well as molecular imbalances. Despite surmounting evidence supporting these claims, contributing mechanisms to these phenomena remain largely unknown. In this review, we discuss evidence for potential mechanisms of sitting-induced perturbations in peripheral hemodynamics and vascular function and how these potential mechanisms may be targeted using active and passive muscular contraction methods. Furthermore, we also highlight concerns regarding the experimental environment and population considerations for future studies. Optimizing prolonged sitting investigations may allow us to not only better understand the hypothesized sitting-induced transient proatherogenic environment but to also enhance methods and devise mechanistic targets to salvage sitting-induced attenuations in vascular function, which may ultimately play a role in averting atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease development.