Dynamic Determinants of Longevity and Exceptional Health

Figure 2

Dynamic characteristics of a hypothetical non-monotonically changing physiological index (denoted here “DBP”) considered as potential risk factors: 1) Maximum value; 2) Age at which the maximum has been reached; 3) Average rate of decline after reaching the maximum. The figure illustrates evaluation of average rates of decline in two individuals having the same pattern of increase until reaching the maximum and different patterns of decline after reaching the maximum: a) the solid line for a rapidly declining index and its approximation by a straight line; b) the dotted line for a slowly declining index and its linear approximation. The slopes of respective straight lines are considered as risk factors for mortality and onset of “unhealthy life.”