The pathophysiology of aryerial hypertension in the light of new data after the COVID-19 pandemic
Keywords:
pathophysiology, hypertension, reactive oxygen species, oxidative stress, role of salt consumption, kidney function, vascular function, long-COVID, hyperactivation of the RAASAbstract
Dr. Irvin Page proposed the mosaic theory of hypertension in the 1940s, arguing that hypertension results from the interaction of many factors that raise blood pressure and cause end-organ damage. Over time, new concepts involving oxidative stress, inflammation, genetics, sodium homeostasis, and the microbiome have emerged to further refine the mosaic theory. This review discusses new pathophysiologic concepts such as oxidative stress, the role of salt intake and the role of sodium depot in the skin interstitial tissue, the effect of sodium on cytokine production, reactive oxygen species (ROS) as a pathogenetic factor in oxidative
stress, inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines, RAS hyperactivation, and the role of membrane ACE2 observed in patients after COVID-19 infection.
