Protective Effects of Flavanol-Rich Dark Chocolate on Endothelial Function and Wave Reflection During Acute Hyperglycemia

• Published in: Hypertension (Dallas, Tex. 1979) Vol. 60; no. 3; pp. 827 - 832
• Main Authors: Grassi, Davide, Desideri, Giovambattista, Necozione, Stefano, Ruggieri, Fabrizio, Blumberg, Jeffrey B., Stornello, Michele, Ferri, Claudio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hagerstown, MD American Heart Association, Inc 01.09.2012; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
• Subjects: Acute Disease; Adult; Antihypertensive agents; Arterial hypertension. Arterial hypotension; Biological and medical sciences; Blood and lymphatic vessels; Blood Pressure - drug effects; Blood Pressure - physiology; Cacao; Cardiology. Vascular system; Cardiovascular system; Dinoprost - analogs & derivatives; Dinoprost - blood; Endothelin-1 - blood; Endothelium, Vascular - drug effects; Endothelium, Vascular - physiology; Female; Flavanones - pharmacology; Glucose Tolerance Test; Humans; Hyperglycemia - physiopathology; Insulin Resistance - physiology; Insulin-Secreting Cells - physiology; Male; Medical sciences; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Pulse Wave Analysis; Hypertension; endothelial function; Oxidative stress; wave reflections; Cardiovascular disease; Flavonoid; cocoa; Prevention; Polyphenol; Hyperglycemia; Nitric oxide; Phenols; flavonoids

Nitric oxide plays a pivotal role in regulating vascular tone. Different studies show endothelial function is impaired during hyperglycemia. Dark chocolate increases flow-mediated dilation in healthy and hypertensive subjects with and without glucose intolerance; however, the effect of pretreatment...