As the elderly segment of the world population increases, it is critical to understand the changes in cardiac structure and function during the normal aging process. In this review, we outline the key molecular pathways and cellular processes that underlie the phenotypic changes in the heart and vasculature that accompany aging. Reduced autophagy, increased mitochondrial oxidative stress, telomere attrition, altered signaling in insulin-like growth factor, growth differentiation factor 11, and 5′- AMP-activated protein kinase pathways are among the key molecular mechanisms underlying cardiac aging. Aging promotes structural and functional changes in the atria, ventricles, valves, myocardium, pericardium, the cardiac conduction system, and the vasculature. We highlight the factors known to accelerate and attenuate the intrinsic aging of the heart and vessels in addition to potential preventive and therapeutic avenues. A greater understanding of the processes involved in cardiac aging may facilitate our ability to mitigate the escalating burden of CVD in older individuals and promote healthy cardiac aging.
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July 2018
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The 3D structure of recombinant human deoxyribonuclease I. The N-terminal leucine shown in yellow at the top of the structure was selected for PEGylation of the protein. The amino acids shown in yellow towards the bottom of the protein are those interacting with globular actin, a potent inhibitor of human deoxyribonuclease I; for details, see pages 1439–1452.
Review Article|
July 09 2018
The aging heart
Vanessa Obas;
Vanessa Obas
1Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, U.S.A.
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Ramachandran S. Vasan
2Cardiology and Preventive Medicine Sections, Evans Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, U.S.A.
3The Framingham Heart Study, Framingham, MA, U.S.A.
Correspondence: Ramachandran S. Vasan ([email protected])
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Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
February 17 2018
Revision Received:
June 10 2018
Accepted:
June 13 2018
Online ISSN: 1470-8736
Print ISSN: 0143-5221
© 2018 The Author(s). Published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society
2018
Clin Sci (Lond) (2018) 132 (13): 1367–1382.
Article history
Received:
February 17 2018
Revision Received:
June 10 2018
Accepted:
June 13 2018
Citation
Vanessa Obas, Ramachandran S. Vasan; The aging heart. Clin Sci (Lond) 18 July 2018; 132 (13): 1367–1382. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/CS20171156
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