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How is heart disease related to aging?
Age is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease including heart disease. The incidence of heart disease increases with age for both men and women. Men develop heart disease, particularly coronary artery disease, at younger ages than do women. Before age 60, one out of three men has heart disease, but only one out of ten women does. After menopause, the incidence of heart disease in women also rises and eventually virtually mirrors heart disease rates in men. Though heart disease once was regarded as a "man's disease," it is the leading cause of death in both men and women.
 It is known that certain changes to the heart even in the absence of disease are common as people age. This includes a thickening and stiffening of the heart walls (particulary, the left ventricle) which leads to a reduced ability of the heart (left ventricle) to relax and fill adequately between beats (diastolic dysfunction). This reduced or slowed filling of the heart can further lead to inefficient pumping during periods of increased exertion, contributing to fatigue and exercise intolerance. Another age-related change includes enlargement of the left atrium, the upper chamber of the heart above, which can lead to atrial fibrillation (unorganized heart rhythm originating from the upper heart chambers). Slowing of the pacemaker cells of the atria, another consequence of normal aging, can also lead to rhythm problems.
Arteries also change with age. They become stiffer, with thicker walls and a subsequent reduced ability to expand properly as blood pumps through them. This can cause high blood pressure which in turn increases the risk for heart disease and stroke in older individuals.
While there is a great deal known about age-related changes that occur in the arteries and the subsequent changes in cardiac function, new research is underway that will likely enable us to learn how to slow down or even reverse some of these changes. What research has revealed and continues to show is that many of the changes within the heart have as much to do with lifestyle as age, underscoring the importance of adopting and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
At any age you can and should be aware of your risk factors and use preventive strategies to enhance the ability of your circulatory system — your heart and blood vessels — to function normally. This includes eating a heart-healthy diet that is low in saturated fat, sodium, and cholesterol; controlling your weight; exercising regularly; following treatment as needed for blood pressure, high cholesterol or diabetes; and stopping smoking.
If you want to assess your risk for having a heart attack, follow the link below. This risk assessment tool uses information from the Framingham Heart Study to predict a person's chance of having a heart attack in the next 10 years.
Source: National Cholesterol Education Program
Third Report of the Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults
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