Cardiovascular disease and aging

Abstract

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death for population over 65 years of age. With the progressive increase of population in this age group, it is crucial to understand the interaction between aging and cardiovascular diseases. Aging results in structural changes and functional decline of the cardiovascular system and is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. Aging not only increases the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases but is also associated with impaired responses to cardiovascular diseases. This supports the notion that age-related changes in the cardiovascular system superimpose and interact with the pathophysiological mechanisms that lead to cardiovascular disease. This chapter will provide an overview of cardiovascular aging in humans and mammalian models, and discuss the recent advances in understanding how different hallmarks of aging play their roles in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular aging.