Vascular mechanisms in the developmental programming of cardio-vascular disease.

Several studies suggest that adverse events during foetal life can program cardiovascular diseases in adulthood. Barker et al. identified a relationship between low birth weight and an increased risk of arterial hypertension, carotid arteriosclerosis, and mortality by coronary heart disease or stroke in adulthood. These findings led to the "foetal origins" hypothesis, which is that cardiovascular disease originates in the adaptations to an adverse intrauterine environment. Such adaptations may permanently alter the cardiovascular structure and physiology through the process of programming. Several factors, such as impaired foetal growth, premature birth or postnatal growth of low birth weight infants may be involved, but to which extent is still unclear.