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Aging, Exercise, and Cardioprotection
Author(s) -
POWERS SCOTT K.,
QUINDRY JOHN,
HAMILTON KARYN
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
annals of the new york academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.712
H-Index - 248
eISSN - 1749-6632
pISSN - 0077-8923
DOI - 10.1196/annals.1297.084
Subject(s) - cardioprotection , medicine , heat shock protein , cardiology , coronary artery disease , shock (circulatory) , disease , ischemia , myocardial infarction , biology , biochemistry , gene
A bstract : Myocardial ischemia‐reperfusion (I‐R) injury is a major contributor to the morbidity and mortality associated with coronary artery disease. The incidence of I‐R events is greatest in older persons, and studies also indicate that the magnitude of myocardial I‐R injury is greater in senescent individuals compared to younger adults. Regular exercise has been confirmed as a pragmatic countermeasure to protect against I‐R‐induced cardiac injury. Specifically, endurance exercise has been proven to provide cardioprotection against an I‐R insult in both young and old animals. Proposed mechanisms to explain the cardioprotective effect of exercise include the induction of myocardial heat shock proteins (HSPs), improved cardiac antioxidant capacity, and/or elevation of other cardioprotective proteins. Of these potential mechanisms, evidence indicates that elevated myocardial levels of heat shock proteins or antioxidants can provide myocardial protection against I‐R injury. At present, which of these protective mechanisms is essential for exercise‐induced cardioprotection remains unclear. Understanding the molecular basis for exercise‐induced cardioprotection is important in developing exercise paradigms to protect the heart during an I‐R insult.