Significance of central aortic stiffness in cardiovascular disease.

Cardiovascular health has traditionally been monitored by peripheral measurements of brachial blood pressure. Although these measurements have proven to be of good diagnostic and prognostic value, novel technology now allows us to non-invasively and easily obtain measurements of more central arteries, specifically stiffness of the central aorta. The purpose of this review is to analyze the role of central aortic stiffness in cardiovascular disease and examine the parameters of central aortic stiffness measurement in the clinical setting.