Conclusions Age and hypertension are among the risk factors of stroke and increased expression of MMPs in aged rat and SHR/SP groups may be the important cause of the vascular pathological changes.

• 结论 年龄因素和高血压均是脑卒中的危险因素之一，而基质金属蛋白酶在二者的高表达可能是血管壁病变的重要原因。