Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Healthy Vascular Ageing and Early Vascular Ageing

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Book cover Textbook of Vascular Medicine

Abstract

Chronological age is an important independent predictor of cardiovascular events. Although the cumulative effect of cardiovascular risk factors over time partly explains this relationship, accumulating evidence suggests this is a simplistic interpretation of a more complex concept. With advancing age slowly progressive changes can be seen affecting the structure and function of large and small vessels as well as the phenotype of various cell lines. It is important to note that these changes occur at different rates depending on the clinical context and can be detected much earlier in individuals affected by chronic metabolic or vascular diseases. Determining ‘vascular age’ may therefore be an important tool for cardiovascular risk stratification. This chapter will review the cellular, functional and structural effects of ageing on the vasculature, clinical and research tools for assessing aspects of vascular age, the concept of ‘early vascular ageing’ and associated clinical conditions and pathways to achieve healthy vascular ageing.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 79.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 99.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 129.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Mahmood SS, Levy D, Vasan RS, Wang TJ. The Framingham Heart Study and the epidemiology of cardiovascular disease: a historical perspective. Lancet. 2014;383(9921):999–1008.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Savji N, Rockman CB, Skolnick AH, Guo Y, Adelman MA, Riles T, et al. Association between advanced age and vascular disease in different arterial territories: a population database of over 3.6 million subjects. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2013;61(16):1736–43.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Nilsson PM. Early vascular aging (EVA): consequences and prevention. Vasc Health Risk Manag. 2008;4(3):547–52.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  4. Kovacic JC, Moreno P, Hachinski V, Nabel EG, Fuster V. Cellular senescence, vascular disease, and aging: part 1 of a 2-part review. Circulation. 2011;123(15):1650–60.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Haycock PC, Heydon EE, Kaptoge S, Butterworth AS, Thompson A, Willeit P. Leucocyte telomere length and risk of cardiovascular disease: systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ. 2014;349:g4227.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Fyhrquist F, Saijonmaa O, Strandberg T. The roles of senescence and telomere shortening in cardiovascular disease. Nat Rev Cardiol. 2013;10(5):274–83.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Camici GG, Savarese G, Akhmedov A, Luscher TF. Molecular mechanism of endothelial and vascular aging: implications for cardiovascular disease. Eur Heart J. 2015;36(48):3392–403.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Wang JC, Bennett M. Aging and atherosclerosis: mechanisms, functional consequences, and potential therapeutics for cellular senescence. Circ Res. 2012;111(2):245–59.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Laina A, Stellos K, Stamatelopoulos K. Vascular ageing: Underlying mechanisms and clinical implications. Exp Gerontol. 2017;109:16–30.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Besler C, Heinrich K, Rohrer L, Doerries C, Riwanto M, Shih DM, et al. Mechanisms underlying adverse effects of HDL on eNOS-activating pathways in patients with coronary artery disease. J Clin Invest. 2011;121(7):2693–708.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  11. Kuningas M, Putters M, Westendorp RG, Slagboom PE, van Heemst D. SIRT1 gene, age-related diseases, and mortality: the Leiden 85-plus study. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2007;62(9):960–5.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Franzeck FC, Hof D, Spescha RD, Hasun M, Akhmedov A, Steffel J, et al. Expression of the aging gene p66Shc is increased in peripheral blood monocytes of patients with acute coronary syndrome but not with stable coronary artery disease. Atherosclerosis. 2012;220(1):282–6.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Mitchell GF, Verwoert GC, Tarasov KV, Isaacs A, Smith AV, Yasmin, et al. Common genetic variation in the 3′-BCL11B gene desert is associated with carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity and excess cardiovascular disease risk: the AortaGen Consortium. Circ Cardiovasc Genet. 2012;5(1):81–90.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Wenzel P, Schuhmacher S, Kienhofer J, Muller J, Hortmann M, Oelze M, et al. Manganese superoxide dismutase and aldehyde dehydrogenase deficiency increase mitochondrial oxidative stress and aggravate age-dependent vascular dysfunction. Cardiovasc Res. 2008;80(2):280–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  15. Feng X, Wang L, Li Y. Change of telomere length in angiotensin II-induced human glomerular mesangial cell senescence and the protective role of losartan. Mol Med Rep. 2011;4(2):255–60.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Laurent S, Cockcroft J, Van Bortel L, Boutouyrie P, Giannattasio C, Hayoz D, et al. Expert consensus document on arterial stiffness: methodological issues and clinical applications. Eur Heart J. 2006;27(21):2588–605.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. O’Rourke MF, Safar ME, Dzau V. The Cardiovascular Continuum extended: aging effects on the aorta and microvasculature. Vasc Med. 2010;15(6):461–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. O’Rourke MF, Nichols WW. Aortic diameter, aortic stiffness, and wave reflection increase with age and isolated systolic hypertension. Hypertension. 2005;45(4):652–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Laurent S, Boutouyrie P. The structural factor of hypertension: large and small artery alterations. Circ Res. 2015;116(6):1007–21.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Mancia G, Fagard R, Narkiewicz K, Redon J, Zanchetti A, Bohm M, et al. 2013 ESH/ESC guidelines for the management of arterial hypertension: the Task Force for the Management of Arterial Hypertension of the European Society of Hypertension (ESH) and of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). Eur Heart J. 2013;34(28):2159–219.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Reference Values for Arterial Stiffness C. Determinants of pulse wave velocity in healthy people and in the presence of cardiovascular risk factors: ‘establishing normal and reference values’. Eur Heart J. 2010;31(19):2338–50.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Ben-Shlomo Y, Spears M, Boustred C, May M, Anderson SG, Benjamin EJ, et al. Aortic pulse wave velocity improves cardiovascular event prediction: an individual participant meta-analysis of prospective observational data from 17,635 subjects. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2014;63(7):636–46.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Laurent S, Boutouyrie P, Asmar R, Gautier I, Laloux B, Guize L, et al. Aortic stiffness is an independent predictor of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in hypertensive patients. Hypertension. 2001;37(5):1236–41.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Vlachopoulos C, Aznaouridis K, O’Rourke MF, Safar ME, Baou K, Stefanadis C. Prediction of cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality with central haemodynamics: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur Heart J. 2010;31(15):1865–71.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Redheuil A, Wu CO, Kachenoura N, Ohyama Y, Yan RT, Bertoni AG, et al. Proximal aortic distensibility is an independent predictor of all-cause mortality and incident CV events: the MESA study. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2014;64(24):2619–29.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  26. Lorenz MW, Polak JF, Kavousi M, Mathiesen EB, Volzke H, Tuomainen TP, et al. Carotid intima-media thickness progression to predict cardiovascular events in the general population (the PROG-IMT collaborative project): a meta-analysis of individual participant data. Lancet. 2012;379(9831):2053–62.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  27. Laurent S, Marais L, Boutouyrie P. The noninvasive assessment of vascular aging. Can J Cardiol. 2016;32(5):669–79.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Garcia-Ortiz L, Recio-Rodriguez JI, Agudo-Conde C, Patino-Alonso MC, Rodriguez-Sanchez E, Maderuelo-Fernandez JA, et al. The role of retinal vessels caliber as a marker of vascular aging in large arteries. J Hypertens. 2015;33(4):818–26.. discussion 26

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Mitchell GF, van Buchem MA, Sigurdsson S, Gotal JD, Jonsdottir MK, Kjartansson O, et al. Arterial stiffness, pressure and flow pulsatility and brain structure and function: the age, gene/environment susceptibility – Reykjavik study. Brain. 2011;134(Pt 11):3398–407.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  30. Maillard P, Seshadri S, Beiser A, Himali JJ, Au R, Fletcher E, et al. Effects of systolic blood pressure on white-matter integrity in young adults in the Framingham Heart Study: a cross-sectional study. Lancet Neurol. 2012;11(12):1039–47.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  31. Terentes-Printzios D, Vlachopoulos C, Xaplanteris P, Ioakeimidis N, Aznaouridis K, Baou K, et al. Cardiovascular risk factors accelerate progression of vascular aging in the general population: results from the CRAVE study (Cardiovascular Risk Factors Affecting Vascular Age). Hypertension. 2017;70(5):1057–64.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Botto F, Obregon S, Rubinstein F, Scuteri A, Nilsson PM, Kotliar C. Frequency of early vascular aging and associated risk factors among an adult population in Latin America: the OPTIMO study. J Hum Hypertens. 2018;32(3):219–27.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Cunha PG, Boutouyrie P, Nilsson PM, Laurent S. Early Vascular Ageing (EVA): definitions and clinical applicability. Curr Hypertens Rev. 2017;13(1):8–15.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Koivistoinen T, Lyytikainen LP, Aatola H, Luukkaala T, Juonala M, Viikari J, et al. Pulse wave velocity predicts the progression of blood pressure and development of hypertension in young adults. Hypertension. 2018;71(3):451–6.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Karras A, Haymann JP, Bozec E, Metzger M, Jacquot C, Maruani G, et al. Large artery stiffening and remodeling are independently associated with all-cause mortality and cardiovascular events in chronic kidney disease. Hypertension. 2012;60(6):1451–7.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Smith A, Karalliedde J, De Angelis L, Goldsmith D, Viberti G. Aortic pulse wave velocity and albuminuria in patients with type 2 diabetes. J Am Soc Nephrol: JASN. 2005;16(4):1069–75.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Muhammad IF, Borne Y, Ostling G, Kennback C, Gottsater M, Persson M, et al. Arterial stiffness and incidence of diabetes: a population-based cohort study. Diabetes Care. 2017;40(12):1739–45.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Elias MF, Robbins MA, Budge MM, Abhayaratna WP, Dore GA, Elias PK. Arterial pulse wave velocity and cognition with advancing age. Hypertension. 2009;53(4):668–73.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Wendell CR, Zonderman AB, Metter EJ, Najjar SS, Waldstein SR. Carotid intimal medial thickness predicts cognitive decline among adults without clinical vascular disease. Stroke. 2009;40(10):3180–5.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  40. Nilsson PM, Laurent S, Cunha PG, Olsen MH, Rietzschel E, Franco OH, Ryliškytė L, Strazhesko I, Vlachopoulos C, Chen CH, Boutouyrie P, Cucca F, Lakatta EG, Scuteri A; Metabolic syndrome, Arteries REsearch (MARE) Consortium. Characteristics of healthy vascular ageing in pooled population-based cohort studies: the global Metabolic syndrome and Artery REsearch Consortium. J Hypertens. 2018;36(12):2340–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  41. Bain SC, Gill GV, Dyer PH, Jones AF, Murphy M, Jones KE, et al. Characteristics of type 1 diabetes of over 50 years duration (the Golden Years Cohort). Diabet Med. 2003;20(10):808–11.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Niiranen TJ, Lyass A, Larson MG, Hamburg NM, Benjamin EJ, Mitchell GF, et al. Prevalence, correlates, and prognosis of healthy vascular aging in a western community-dwelling cohort: the Framingham Heart Study. Hypertension. 2017;70(2):267–74.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Nowak KL, Rossman MJ, Chonchol M, Seals DR. Strategies for achieving healthy vascular aging. Hypertension. 2018;71(3):389–402.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  44. Lemogoum D, Ngatchou W, Janssen C, Leeman M, Van Bortel L, Boutouyrie P, et al. Effects of hunter-gatherer subsistence mode on arterial distensibility in Cameroonian pygmies. Hypertension. 2012;60(1):123–8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Timio M, Lippi G, Venanzi S, Gentili S, Quintaliani G, Verdura C, et al. Blood pressure trend and cardiovascular events in nuns in a secluded order: a 30-year follow-up study. Blood Press. 1997;6(2):81–7.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK

    Gemma Currie

  2. Department of Clinical Sciences, Skane University Hospital, Lund University, Malmo, Sweden

    Peter M. Nilsson

Authors
  1. Gemma Currie
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Peter M. Nilsson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gemma Currie .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Science, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK

    Rhian M. Touyz

  2. Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Science, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK

    Christian Delles

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2019 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Currie, G., Nilsson, P.M. (2019). Healthy Vascular Ageing and Early Vascular Ageing. In: Touyz, R., Delles, C. (eds) Textbook of Vascular Medicine. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-16481-2_29

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-16481-2_29

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-16480-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-16481-2

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation