Age-Related Dysfunctions: Evidence and Relationship with Some Risk Factors and Protective Drugs

This article reviews the consequences of some factors (diabetes, obesity/dyslipidemia, hypertension, smoking, moderate use and abuse of alcohol) and classes of drugs [statin s, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, sartans] in accelerating and anticipating or in counteracting the process of aging. The evidence is compatible with the programmed aging paradigm and the mechanisms defined by the subtelomere–telomere theory but it has no obvious discriminating va lue against the theories of non-programmed aging paradigm. However, the existence of mechanisms, determined by the subtelomere–telomere–telomerase system and causing a progressive age-related decline in fitness through gradual cell senescence and cell senescence, is not justifiable without an ev olutionary motivation. Their existence is expected by the programmed aging paradigm, while is incompatible with the opposite paradigm.
Source: Biochemistry (Moscow) - Category: Biochemistry Source Type: research