Effect of eicosapentaenoic acid on regional arterial stiffness: Assessment by tissue Doppler imaging

Figure 1 Measurement of the strain rate of the ascending aorta by tissue Doppler echocardiography. A: A region of interest (arrow) was identified on the ascending aortic wall; B: Strain rate (arrow) was recorded and the peak value during initial contraction was measured by averaging the systolic peak of three heart beats.

Figure 2 Effect of eicosapentaenoic acid on brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity and the strain rate of the ascending aorta. A: No difference was noted in baPWV before and after eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) administration; B: In contrast, a statistically significant increase in the strain rate of the ascending aorta was observed after one year of EPA administration. PWV: Pulse wave velocity; NS: Not significant.