A new perspective on changes in vascular function due to hypoxia

Abstract

This review discusses the functions of blood vessels such as coagulation, regulation, immunity, endocrinology, and nerve conduction from a new perspective and suggests that hypoxia plays a common role in the changes in vascular function in various cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Therefore, it is oxygen therapy regulation may be a particularly beneficial means by which to regulate vascular function due to its low risk of harm and ease of implementation. Further, the authors have identified a link between vascular function and diseases caused by endogenous hypoxia and analyzed it in depth. The potential effects of hypoxia regulation schemes such as hyperxia, hyperoxic-hypoxia alternations, hypoxia preconditioning, and intermittent hypoxia on vascular function are also discussed, and we present theoretical support for targeted vascular therapy.

Keywords

blood vessel function / hypoxia / hypoxia regulation / vascular disease / vascular intervention