As part of the aging process, our bodies accumulate increasing damages at the tissue, cellular, and molecular levels, leading to a loss of function and to an increased risk of morbidities and of mortality. Increasing life expectancy has been associated with increasing risk of aging-associated diseases, including cardiovascular disease (CVD). CVD is responsible for over 4 million deaths in Europe every year.

The majority of CVD is caused by risk factors that can be controlled, treated, or modified, such as high blood pressure, cholesterol, overweight/obesity, tobacco use, lack of physical activity, and diabetes. However, there are also other major CVD risk factors that cannot be controlled. The normal process of aging is associated with progressive deterioration in structure and function of the heart and vasculature which likely contributes to the development of CVD, including coronary heart disease, hypertension, and heart failure. Since the aging people is one of the fastest growing segments of the population, it is of vital importance that we have a thorough understanding of the physiological changes that occur with aging that could contribute to the increased risk for CVD in elderly population. Increased investigation at both the basic and clinical levels is necessary to identify therapies that will benefit older patients on the basis of both the pathophysiology of age-related CVD and the frequent presence of comorbid diseases.

In this issue, we intend to collect and review new data in the field of aging in relation to increasing risks of cardiovascular disease to provide a better understanding of the contributory roles of physiological changes of the aging process in promoting traditional and nontraditional cardiovascular risk factors.

We are pleased to invite researchers and clinicians to contribute with original research and review papers. Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

• Epidemiological studies in CVD in aging population
• Cardiac and vascular aging: structural and functional changes
• Traditional and nontraditional CVD risk factors
• Cardiovascular risk profile
• Life style and CVD
• Calorie restriction and CVD
• Novel therapeutic approaches
• Costs associated with CVD

Before submission authors should carefully read over the journal's Author Guidelines, which are located at http://www.hindawi.com/journals/bmri/guidelines/. Prospective authors should submit an electronic copy of their complete manuscript through the journal Manuscript Tracking System at http://mts.hindawi.com/submit/journals/bmri/geriatrics/agdis/ according to the following timetable:

Guest editors