The Effects of Acute Hyperglycemia on Oxidant and Mechanical Stress

Cardiovascular disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in diabetics. One complication of diabetes is hyperglycemia, whose acute effects include an increase in oxidant stress that results in an impaired endothelium-dependent vasodilatory response, known as endothelial dysfunction. Endothelial dysfunction in tum elicits a series of cellular reactions that may culminate over time into atherosclerotic lesions. Moreover, areas of reduced shear or oscillatory shear stress coupled to elevated circumferential or oscillating circumferential stress are hypothesized to contribute to endothelial dysfunction. Therefore, this thesis will examine if acute hyperglycemia alters endothelial function in vivo in the coronary arteries and how acute hyperglycemia may effect oxidant and mechanical stress. Secondly, this thesis will also examine how the spatial distribution of vessel mechanical stresses are effected during acute hyperglycemia