Clinical relevance of the sympathetic–vascular interactions in health and disease

The sympathetic nervous system is known to play a pivotal role in the short-and long-term regulation of different cardiovascular functions. In recent decades, increasing evidence has demonstrated that sympathetic neural influences are involved not only in the vasomotor modulation of small resistance arteries but also in the control of large arteries. Sympathetic activity and vascular function, which are key factors in the pathophysiology and prognosis of cardiovascular disease, are linked by a close relationship. Evidence from experimental studies indicates that the sympathetic nervous system is critically influenced, at the central and also at the peripheral level, by the most relevant factors regulating vascular function, namely nitric oxide, reactive oxygen species and endothelin. Additionally, there is evidence of a reciprocal influence between endothelial function and sympathetic mechanisms. This paper will provide an overview of the relationships between endothelial function and the sympathetic nervous system characterizing physiological states. It will also briefly mention the alterations described in cardiovascular disease, with particular emphasis on essential hypertension and congestive heart failure, i.e., the two pathological states in which endothelial dysfunction and neuroadrenergic activation appear to be relevant factors for determining cardiovascular prognosis.