MODERN APPROACHES TO EVALUATING VASCULAR AGE
Nowadays, due to the development of the blood vessels’ age conception as a new cardio-vascular risk evaluation tool, demand of methods determining the age of blood vessels’ is growing. The purpose of this review is to present modern approaches to "the vessels’ age evaluation". Indirect (by circulating biomarkers) and direct (by tissue’s markers) methods of blood vessels’ evaluation are discussed, their diagnostic and prognostic significance is reviewed. There is a reason to believe that artery tissue’s markers ( amplitude characteristics of contour analysis of a pulse wave, the thickness of "Intimae - media carotid arteries complex" are markers of the diastolic function of left heart ventricle, etc) are perhaps more specific and meaningful because they show total impact of well known "controlled" and "uncontrolled " risk factors. In addition, with vessels’ age doctor is able to explain patient about long-term consequences of his life style and related risk factors as well as significant risk decrease of cardio-vascular disease development that can be achieved by early changes of life style, and where appropriate, by pharmacological treatment.