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Aging and dyslipidemia: a review of potential mechanisms

Hui-Hui Liu1, Jian-Jun Li1

  • 1Division of Dyslipidemia, State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fu Wai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Disease, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100037, China.

Ageing Research Reviews
|December 16, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Aging impacts lipid metabolism, increasing cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in older adults. This review examines age-related changes in plasma lipids and their underlying mechanisms, focusing on dyslipidemia and coronary artery disease (CAD).

Area of Science:

  • Gerontology
  • Cardiovascular Medicine
  • Metabolic Disorders

Background:

  • Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the elderly, with dyslipidemia a major risk factor.
  • Dyslipidemia contributes to over half of global coronary artery disease (CAD) cases, strongly correlating with serum cholesterol levels.
  • Understanding age-related lipid changes is crucial for managing CVD risk in the growing elderly population.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review age-associated alterations in plasma lipid profiles in both men and women.
  • To explore the potential mechanisms driving age-related dysregulation of lipoprotein metabolism.
  • To focus on specific factors including liver sinusoidal endothelium, postprandial lipemia, insulin resistance, and hormonal influences.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies on aging, lipid metabolism, and cardiovascular disease.
  • Analysis of human and animal models investigating age-related changes in lipoprotein metabolism.
  • Focus on key physiological and molecular mechanisms implicated in age-related dyslipidemia.

Main Results:

  • Aging significantly alters plasma lipid levels and lipoprotein metabolism in both sexes.
  • Mechanisms include changes in liver sinusoidal endothelium, impaired postprandial lipemia, and insulin resistance.
  • Hormonal factors like growth hormone (GH), androgens, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) activity play crucial roles.

Conclusions:

  • Age-related dyslipidemia is a complex multifactorial process contributing to increased CVD risk in the elderly.
  • Understanding these mechanisms provides targets for therapeutic interventions to mitigate cardiovascular risk in aging populations.
  • Further research into specific pathways like PPARα and hormonal regulation is warranted.

Keywords:
AgingCardiovascular diseaseDyslipidemiaLipoprotein metabolism

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