title: Vascular stiffness and increased pulse pressure in the aging cardiovascular system.
abstract: Aging leads to a multitude of changes in the cardiovascular system, including systolic hypertension, increased central vascular stiffness, and increased pulse pressure. In this paper we will review the effects of age-associated increased vascular stiffness on systolic blood pressure, pulse pressure, augmentation index, and cardiac workload. Additionally we will describe pulse wave velocity as a method to measure vascular stiffness and review the impact of increased vascular stiffness as an index of vascular health and as a predictor of adverse cardiovascular outcomes. Furthermore, we will discuss the underlying mechanisms and how these may be modified in order to change the outcomes. A thorough understanding of these concepts is of paramount importance and has therapeutic implications for the increasingly elderly population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.
authors.forename: Jochen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Steppan
authors.forename: Viachaslau
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Barodka
authors.forename: Dan E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Berkowitz
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nyhan