Older subjects show no age-related decrease in cardiac baroreceptor sensitivity

Objective: to examine the relationship between age, blood pressure and card iac baroreceptor sensitivity derived from spectral analysis, the Valsalva m anoeuvre and impulse response function. Methods: we studied 70 healthy normotensive volunteers who were free from d isease and not taking medication with cardiovascular or autonomic effects. We measured beat-to-beat arterial. blood pressure and used standard surface electrocardiography to record pulse interval under standardized conditions with subjects resting supine as well as during three Valsalva manoeuvres. We performed single, multiple and stepwise regression of patient characteri stics against cardiac baroreceptor sensitivity results. Results: there is a non-linear decline in cardiac baroreceptor sensitivity with advancing age, increasing systolic blood pressure and heart rate value s (except for the Valsalva-derived result), but little further decline afte r the fourth decade. Only age significantly influenced values derived using the Valsalva manoeuvre and impulse response analysis. Using spectral analy sis, age, systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate influenced c ardiac baroreceptor sensitivity, age contributing to 50% of the variability . Age also influenced the relationship between pulse interval and blood pre ssure, possibly indicating more non-baroreceptor-mediated changes with adva ncing age. Conclusions: although age is the dominant factor influencing cardiac barore ceptor sensitivity in this normotensive population, there is little change in mean values after 40 years of age. The differences in the relationship b etween pulse interval and blood pressure with advancing age have implicatio ns for the calculation of cardiac baroreceptor sensitivity using spectral a nalysis.