Smoking and Diabetes Mellitus Alter in vitro Contractility of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells Derived from Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Patients

Abstract

Introduction: Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) are defined as a progressive weakening of the aortic wall, leading to gradual dilatation. AAAs represent a major health risk affecting 8% of men worldwide, and rupture of the aortic wall is associated with an overall mortality of 90%. Risk factors for AAA include aging, male sex, and smoking. In contrast, there is a negative association between patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) and AAA development. The pathophysiology of AAA is complex, which limits the ability to develop pharmaceutical treatment options for prevention and stabilisation of AAA.