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Vascular Remodeling

Meaning

The structural and functional alterations in the architecture of blood vessel walls that occur in response to chronic changes in hemodynamic forces, such as blood pressure, or in response to injury or systemic disease. This dynamic process can be adaptive, such as during exercise training, or maladaptive, contributing to pathological conditions like hypertension and atherosclerosis. Hormonal signals, including those from the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, are key regulators of this remodeling process. Understanding this plasticity is vital for treating vascular diseases.