Aging, habitual exercise, and dynamic arterial compliance

Background-A reduction in compliance of the large-sized cardiothoracic (cen tral) arteries is an independent risk factor for the development of cardiov ascular disease with advancing age. Methods and Results-We determined the role of habitual exercise on the age- related decrease in central arterial compliance by using both cross-section al and interventional approaches. First, we studied 151 healthy men aged 18 to 77 years: 54 were sedentary, 45 were recreationally active, and 53 were endurance exercise-trained. Central arterial compliance (simultaneous B-mo de ultrasound and arterial applanation tonometry on the common carotid arte ry) was lower (P < 0.05) in middle-aged and older men than in young men in all 3 groups. There were no significant differences between sedentary and r ecreationally active men at any age. However, arterial compliance in the en durance-trained middle-aged and older men was 20% to 35% higher than in the 2 less active groups (P < 0.01). As such, age-related differences in centr al arterial compliance were smaller in the endurance-trained men than in th e sedentary and recreationally active men. Second, we studied 20 middle-age d and older 153 +/- 2 yearsj sedentary healthy men before and after a 3-mon th aerobic exercise intervention (primarily walking). Regular exercise incr eased central arterial compliance (P < 0.01) to levels similar to those of the middle-aged and older endurance trained men. These effects were indepen dent of changes in body mass, adiposity, arterial blood pressure, or maxima l oxygen consumption. Conclusions-Regular aerobic-endurance exercise attenuates age-related reduc tions in central arterial compliance and restores levels in previously sede ntary healthy middle-aged and older men. This may be one mechanism by which habitual exercise lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease in this popula tion.