doi: 10.1161/01.hyp.0000197263.07085.e8
(Hypertension. 2006;47:e3.)
© 2006 American Heart Association, Inc.
Letters to the Editor |
Magnesium and Arterial Stiffness
Medical Clinic I, St Anna Hospital, Herne, Germany
Cardiology Department, Marienhospital, Bottrop, Germany
Med. Univ. Poliklinik D, Münster, Germany
An extract of the first 250 words of the full text is provided, because this article has no abstract. |
To The Editor:
We read with interest the paper by S. Laurent et al1 dealing with structural and genetic bases of arterial stiffness. The authors reviewed data concerning the heritability of arterial stiffness and propose an integrated view of the structural and genetic determinants of arterial stiffness based on a candidate gene approach and recent studies on gene expression profile.1
It is well documented that large-artery stiffness is the main determinant of pulse pressure.2 In addition, aortic stiffness has independent predictive value for total and cardiovascular mortality, coronary morbidity and mortality,3 and fatal stroke4 in patients with essential hypertension.3,4 In this context, we could show that a magnesium deficiency is of pathogenetic importance when essential hypertensive patients developed high pulse pressure values (P<0.01).5 In addition, we demonstrated that a magnesium deficiency is involved in the pathogenesis of primary hypertension6,7 in combination with altered structural determinants.8 In a recent paper by our group we also described a loss of elastic material in smooth muscle cells of magnesium-deficient spontaneously hypertensive rats of the Münster strain.8
In conclusion, the review of Laurent et al is excellent; however, the role of a magnesium deficiency resulting in structural changes of vascular vessels has to be taken in account, too. In addition, we agree that signaling pathways and transport mechanisms (eg, TRPM6 and TRPM7) are of special interest for the development of primary hypertension, pulse pressure values, and arterial stiffness.
1. Laurent S, Boutouyrie P, Lacolley P. Structural and genetic bases of arterial stiffness. Hypertension. 2005; 45: 1050–1055.
2. O’Rourke M, Frohlich ED. Pulse pressure. Is it a clinically useful risk factor? Hypertension. 1999; 34: 372–374.
3. Boutouyrie P, Tropeano AI, Asmar R, Gautier I, Benetos A, Lacolly P, Laurent S. Aortic stiffness is an independent predictor of primary coronary events in hypertensive patients: a longitudinal study. Hypertension. 2002; 39: 10–15.
4. Laurent S, Katashian S, Fassot C, Tropeano AI, Gautier I, Laloux B, Boutouyrie P. Aortic stiffness is an independent predictor of fatal stroke in essential hypertension. Stroke. 2003; 34: 1203–1206.
5. Kisters K, Gremmler B, Hausberg M. Pulse pressure, plasma magnesium status, and antihypertensive therapy. Am J Hypertens. 2005; 18: 1136–1137.
6. Kosch M, Hausberg M, Westermann G, Köneke J, Matzkies F, Rahn KH, Kisters K. Alterations in calcium and magnesium content of red cell membranes in patients with primary hypertension. Am J Hypertens. 2001; 14: 254–258.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
7. Kisters K, Tepel M, Spieker C, Dietl KH, Barenbrock M, Rahn KH, Zidek W. Decreased cellular magnesium concentrations in a subgroup of hypertensives –cell models for the pathogenesis of primary hypertension. J Hum Hypertens. 1997; 11: 367–372.[CrossRef][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
8. Kisters K, Wessels F, Tokmak F, Krefting ER, Gremmler B, Kosch M, Hausberg M. Early-onset increased calcium and decreased magnesium concentrations and an increased calcium/magnesium ratio in SHR versus WKY. Magnes Res. 2004; 17: 264–269.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
Response
Department of Pharmacology and Inserm, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Paris, France
We read with interest the letter by Kisters et al1 concerning the potential involvement
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  K. Kisters, B. Gremmler, M. Hausberg, and S. Laurent Magnesium and Arterial Stiffness * Response Hypertension, February 1, 2006; 47(2): e3 - e3. [Full Text] [PDF]
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