Fig. 2.

Proposed conceptual model showing that development of hypertension and hypertension-related vascular alterations are associated with increases in vascular oxidative stress. The model predicts that the link between vascular oxidative stress and hypertension is bidirectional: oxidative stress both promotes the development of hypertension and contributes to hypertension-induced pathologies (including atherosclerosis, kidney failure, stroke, aorta aneurysms, vascular cognitive impairment). This emerging new concept is supported by both animal studies and clinical observations (24, 37, 66, 76, 78, 92, 95, 108, 113, 117).