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Biology of Aging

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Book cover Cardiothoracic Surgery in the Elderly

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Abstract

This chapter briefly summarizes what we currently know about some of the biological changes that accompany aging, and then tries to predict which of these may be the most relevant to the onset of age-related cardiac pathology, and the ultimate need for cardiothoracic surgery in older persons. Although cardiovascular diseases are now the major cause of mortality in developed countries, and age is a major risk factor for many of these diseases, it is still not clear just which age-related changes are the most critical in affecting longevity or the risk of dying as a result of cardiovascular pathology.

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  1. College of Biological Sciences, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, 55108, USA

    Huber R. Warner

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Correspondence to Huber R. Warner .

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  1. , Department of Thoracic Surgery, Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center, 1000 East Mountain Drive, Wilkes-Barre, 18711, Pennsylvania, USA

    Mark R. Katlic

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Warner, H.R. (2011). Biology of Aging. In: Katlic, M. (eds) Cardiothoracic Surgery in the Elderly. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-0892-6_15

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-0892-6_15

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