Aging in Blood Vessels. medicinal agents FOR systemic Arterial Hypertension in the elderly.

Aging in Blood Vessels. medicinal agents FOR systemic Arterial Hypertension in the elderly. Ageing Res Rev. 2014 Oct 10; Authors: Rubio-Ruiz ME, Pérez-Torres I, Soto ME, Pastelín G, Lans VG Abstract Aging impairs blood vessel function and leads to cardiovascular disease. The mechanisms underlying the age-related endothelial, smooth muscle and extracellular matrix vascular dysfunction are discussed. Vascular dysfunction is caused by: 1) Oxidative stress enhancement. 2) Reduction of nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability, by diminished NO synthesis and/or augmented NO scavenging. 3) Production of vasoconstrictor/vasodilator factor imbalances. 4) Low-grade pro-inflammatory environment. 5) Impaired angiogenesis. 5) Endothelial cell senescence. The aging process in vascular smooth muscle is characterized by: 1) Altered replicating potential. 2) Change in cellular phenotype. 3) Changes in responsiveness to contracting and relaxing mediators. 4) Changes in intracellular signaling functions. Systemic arterial hypertension is an age-dependent disorder, and almost half of the elderly human population is hypertensive. The influence of hypertension on the aging cardiovascular system has been studied in models of hypertensive rats. Treatment for hypertension is recommended in the elderly. Lifestyle modifications, natural compounds and hormone therapies are useful for initial stages and as supporting treatment with medication but evidence from clinic...
Source: Ageing Research Reviews - Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Authors: Tags: Ageing Res Rev Source Type: research