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SPECULATIONS ON VASCULAR CHANGES WITH AGE
Author(s) -
Goldman Ralph
Publication year - 1970
Publication title -
journal of the american geriatrics society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.992
H-Index - 232
eISSN - 1532-5415
pISSN - 0002-8614
DOI - 10.1111/j.1532-5415.1970.tb02829.x
Subject(s) - medicine , ageing , cardiology , blood pressure , constriction , cardiac output , vascular resistance , elasticity (physics) , elastic recoil , peripheral , materials science , lung , composite material
A bstract Several extracardiac age changes may affect cardiovascular efficiency. Extracellular fluid and blood volume are relatively increased with age. The loss of aortic elasticity results in a rise in systolic pressure when work produces increases in cardiac output. The vascular rigidity further consumes energy by loss of the propulsive effect of elastic recoil. Finally, peripheral resistance increases due to arteriolar constriction; this appears to be under reversible physiologic control. The sum of these normal changes contributes to the functional decrement of aging; it is more universal and more important than atherosclerosis, yet has commanded inadequate attention.