Age Associated Alterations in Structure and Function of the Cardiovascular System.

The process of aging leads to significant changes in the structure and function of the cardiovascular system. Some of these changes result directly in pathological effects, while others serve to exacerbate the effects of cardiovascular diseases. The changes in the walls of the peripheral arteries lead to increased systolic and pulse pressures. In the myocardium, there is an age associated loss of myocytes. The remaining cells have reduced inotropic capacity. The aging heart also shows increased stiffness in both animal and human studies. Cardiac function is shown to be normal at rest in the aging population, however, during exercise, the aging heart shows a significantly smaller reserve. The increased mortality rates in setting of myocardial infarction and/or congestive heart failure in the elderly may be related to reduced muscle mass and loss of cardiac myocytes. Conversely, the aging population may receive greater benefit from the protective effects of beta-adrenergic antagonists and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors.