title: The Influence of Age on Hemodynamic Parameters During Rest and Exercise in Healthy Individuals.
abstract: In this study, the authors sought to obtain hemodynamic estimates across a wide age span and in both sexes for future reference and compare these estimates with current guideline diagnostic hemodynamic thresholds for abnormal filling pressure and pulmonary hypertension.
  
  
  
  At present, the influence of age on hemodynamic function is largely unknown. Because many diseases with proposed cardiac impact are more prevalent in the older population, it is pivotal to know how hemodynamic parameters are affected by age itself to discern the influence of disease from that of physiological aging.
  
  
  
  Sixty-two healthy participants, evenly distributed with respect to age (20 to 80 years) and sex (32 women/30 men), were prospectively enrolled in the study. Participants were all deemed healthy by medical history, echocardiography, exercise test, spirometry, blood tests, and electrocardiogram. Participants had hemodynamic parameters measured using right heart catheterization during rest, passive leg raise, and incremental exercise.
  
  
  
  During rest, all hemodynamic parameters were similar between age groups, apart from blood pressure. During leg raise and incremental exercise, there was augmented filling pressure (p < 0.0001) and diminished cardiac output (p = 0.001) and hence a higher pressure:flow ratio (pulmonary artery pressure/capillary wedge pressure to cardiac output) with progressive age, evident from the earliest ages. All indexed hemodynamic measures were similar between sexes. The diagnostic threshold (pulmonary capillary wedge pressure ≥25 mm Hg) currently used during exercise testing to diagnose abnormal left ventricular filling pressure was measured in 30% of our healthy elderly participants.
  
  
  
  Cardiac aging was progressive without sex differences in healthy participants. The hemodynamic reference values obtained suggest that the diagnostic threshold for abnormal filling pressure should be individually determined according to age of the patient.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Rigshospitalet, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. Electronic address: wolsk@dadlnet.dk.
authors.forename: Emil
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wolsk
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.
authors.forename: Rine
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bakkestrøm
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Rigshospitalet, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Jacob H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Thomsen
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Rigshospitalet, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Louise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Balling
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Rigshospitalet, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Mads J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.
authors.forename: Jordi S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Dahl
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Rigshospitalet, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hassager
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.
authors.forename: Jakob E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Møller
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Rigshospitalet, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Finn
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gustafsson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization / Q000379:methods; D003718:Denmark; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler / Q000379:methods; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011669:Pulmonary Wedge Pressure; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012146:Rest; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012737:Sex Factors; D013318:Stroke Volume / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: aging; catheterization; exercise; healthy; hemodynamics; sex