Analysis of arterial wall remodeling in hypertension based on lamellar modeling

作者：Taghizadeh Hadi; Tafazzoli Shadpour Mohammad^*; Shadmehr Mohammad B

来源：Journal of the American Society of Hypertension, 2015, 9(9): 735-744.

DOI：10.1016/j.jash.2015.07.014

• Arterial wall remodeling
• finite element method
• lamellar structure of media
• monotonic circumferential stress profile
• residual stresses

Arterial wall remodels its geometry and mechanical properties in response to hypertension to maintain functionality. The elevated pressure is sensed through cellular mechanotransduction pathways, and extra extracellular matrix is synthesized, leading to thickening and stiffening. The present study enquires the response of aortic lamellar structure to hypertensive blood pressure regarding unchanged circumferential stress "profile" across the media as remodeling criterion. We tested the hypothesis that alterations in the thickness of structural layers contributes to maintain stress profile with least deviation from normotensive conditions. To test this notion, finite element analysis was recruited to evaluate stress profile, considering wall residual stress, and lamellar structure was adjusted through an optimization algorithm. Our results indicated 47% increased thickness of the aortic media that originates from nonhomogenous thickening of the microstructural units. The thickening and stiffening responses of the wall tissue were coupled, and the optimized pattern of hypertension-induced remodeling was established.

• 出版日期2015-9