title: Decreasing arterial aging by controlling blood pressure levels and hypertension: a step forward.
abstract: Arterial aging, characterized by arterial stiffening that is clinically evaluable as aortic pulse wave velocity, is risky for CV events, disability, and loss of cognitive function. Today the only adopted strategy to decrease arterial aging/ arterial stiffness is represented by decreasing BP. Selective antihypertensive drug classes (calcium channel blockers, converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin type 1 receptor antagonists) showed a beneficial effect on the arterial wall and on both large and small arteries over and above the reduction in BP levels. Still, the lower the better paradigm seems only to expose older subjects to higher rate of side effects, that via hypotension result in even transient organ hypoperfusion. This vicious circle may be particularly detrimental for cerebral district and, thus, for cognitive impairment onset and progression until dementia.
authors.affiliation: UOC Geriatria, INRCA / IRCCS, Via Cassia 1167, 00189 Rome, Italy. angeloelefante@interfree.it
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Scuteri
authors.forename: Pedro Guimarães
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Cunha
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000375:Aging; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000187:drug effects; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007022:Hypotension / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D059289:Vascular Stiffness / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents