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Updated: Jun 21, 2026
06:08
Pulse Wave Velocity Testing in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging
Published on: February 7, 2014
Some mechanical aspects of arterial aging: physiological overview based on pulse wave analysis
Junichiro Hashimoto1, Sadayoshi Ito
1Department of Blood Pressure Research, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Seiryo-cho, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8574, Japan. jhashimoto@mail.tains.tohoku.ac.jp
Therapeutic Advances in Cardiovascular Disease
|July 4, 2009
Summary
Aging stiffens arteries, increasing blood pressure and heart strain. Vasodilators may help by reducing wave reflection, potentially protecting organs like the brain and kidneys.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Physiology
- Gerontology
- Vascular Medicine
Background:
- Aging significantly alters arterial structure and function, primarily through medial degeneration leading to elastic artery stiffening.
- This stiffening increases central aortic pressures by altering wave dynamics (forward and reflected waves).
- While peripheral arteries are less structurally affected by aging, impaired vasomotor function can increase wave reflection magnitude.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of aging on arterial structure and function.
- To understand the mechanisms by which arterial stiffening affects cardiovascular hemodynamics and organ perfusion.
- To evaluate the potential role of vasodilators in mitigating age-related vascular changes and their consequences.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of age-related changes in large elastic and peripheral muscular arteries.
- Assessment of wave reflection magnitude and its impact on central aortic pressure.
- Evaluation of left ventricular response to increased afterload.
- Examination of microcirculatory stress in organs like the brain and kidneys.
- Review of vasodilator effects on arterial properties and wave reflection.
Main Results:
- Aging causes medial degeneration and stiffening of large elastic arteries, increasing systolic and pulse pressures.
- Impaired vasomotor function in peripheral arteries contributes to increased wave reflection.
- Augmented aortic pressure from wave reflection increases left ventricular workload and hypertrophy.
- Increased pulsatile stress affects microcirculation, potentially leading to cerebral lacunar infarction and albuminuria.
- Vasodilators primarily affect less-degenerated muscular arteries, reducing wave reflection and central aortic pressure, aiding regression of left ventricular hypertrophy.
Conclusions:
- Aging-induced arterial stiffening significantly impacts cardiovascular hemodynamics and organ health.
- Vasodilator therapy shows promise in reducing wave reflection and mitigating left ventricular hypertrophy.
- Further research is needed to confirm if vasodilator-induced reduction in wave reflection prevents microvascular damage in the brain and kidneys.
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