Heart, aging, and hypertension

Hypertension and aging adversely affect cardiovascular system and the heart is invariably involved. Manifestations of hypertensive heart disease and o f the aging heart appear similar; ventricular hypertrophy, myocardial fibro sis, and impairments in ventricular function and coronary hemodynamics char acterize both conditions. However, a great deal of evidence suggests that d ifferent underlying pathophysiological mechanisms may be involved. This rep ort discusses most recent clinical and experimental findings and focuses on the alterations in nonmyocytic elements that are a part of heart involveme nt. Particular attention was given to factors that are responsible for exag gerated myocardial deposition of collagen that, by itself, may be responsib le for ventricular dysfunction and impaired coronary hemodynamics in hypert ensive and aging hearts. Newly developed therapeutical strategies, based on the most recent experimental and clinical studies, are also discussed. (C) 2001 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc.