Cardiovascular Aging and Heart Failure: JACC Review Topic of the Week

Filippos Triposkiadis1, Andrew Xanthopoulos1, Javed Butler2

  • 1Department of Cardiology, Larissa University General Hospital, Larissa, Greece.

Insights

Cardiovascular aging, driven by oxidative stress and inflammation, contributes to heart failure (HF) in the elderly. Understanding these mechanisms, including cardiac amyloidosis, is crucial for managing HF outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Gerontology
  • Cardiology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Heart failure (HF) predominantly affects the elderly population.
  • Cardiovascular aging involves complex interactions between aging processes, risk factors (obesity, hypertension, atherosclerosis), comorbidities (anemia, CKD, diabetes), and modifiers (sex, genes).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review current data on the mechanisms of cardiovascular aging.
  • To elucidate how these mechanisms contribute to the development of HF phenotype and outcome in the elderly.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of published data on cardiovascular aging and HF.
  • Analysis of cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying aging-related cardiovascular dysfunction.

Main Results:

  • Key aging mechanisms include excessive oxidative stress, chronic low-grade inflammation, and limited cardiac regeneration.
  • Cardiac amyloidosis is a significant precipitating factor for HF in a notable percentage of elderly patients.

Conclusions:

  • Cardiovascular aging is a critical factor in the pathogenesis of HF in older adults.
  • Targeting aging-related mechanisms and comorbidities may improve HF management and outcomes.

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