BIOMECHANICS OF MALE/FEMALE HYPERTENSIVE/ATHEROSCLEROTIC SWINE AORTA

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In our preliminary and previous studies, we have evaluated limited aspects of mechanical and histomorphological properties of aortic tissues from normotensive and hypertensive dogs and from normal and atherosclerotic/calcified rabbit aortas. In the proposed work, we will extend our previous work to extensively study the in-vivo and in-vitro mechanical properties and histomorphology of porcine thoracic and abdominal aortas. The animal model would be large pigs (50-60 Kg). The pig is an ideal animal model to study the human cardiovascular system in health and disease. We will use four groups of pigs (6 each), the first group will be the control group (normotensive and non-atherosclerotic). The second group will be the hypertensive group where the pigs will be rendered hypertensive using the Goldblatt clamping technique. In the third group, we will produce diet-induced atherosclerosis. The fourth group of animals will have both hypertension and also atherosclerosis. Each group will have both male and female animals (6 each). The significant advantages of our proposed study can be listed as: 1) The pig is the most appropriate animal model in human cardiovascular studies, 2) most studies on animal models are conducted using male animals. We will include in our study, both male and female pigs, 3) since most patients having cardiovascular disease are the elderly and in most elderly both diseases (hypertension and atherosclerosis) are present, our model is producing animals with simultaneous hypertension and atherosclerosis is more appropriate to study human cardiovascular disease, 4) we will produce significant data on mechanical properties of atherosclerotic and hypertensive/atherosclerotic vessels. Such data is urgently needed to initiate finite element models to simulate the angioplasty of human diseased arteries. Our long-term goal is to extend this finite element analysis to an in line clinical system to successfully predict the results of angioplasty in order to reduce or eliminate re-stenosis.