CRP and endothelial dysfunction: However, the application of this inclusion criterion may have favoured an overestimation of the prevalence of low-grade inflammation since some of the pathophysiological alterations related to high CRP levels (alteration of the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system, oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction) seem to play a major role in the development of resistance to antihypertensive medications [5,54,55].