Unveiling the Role of Inflammation and Oxidative Stress on Age-Related Cardiovascular Diseases

Figure 3

Vascular structural and functional alterations during aging. Vascular aging is associated with critical modifications of the vascular wall such as endothelial dysfunction and increased arterial thickness and stiffness. Endothelial dysfunction includes reduced vasodilatory and antithrombotic properties, with increased oxidative stress and inflammatory cytokines, increasing the risk of atherosclerosis and thrombosis. Furthermore, the endothelial barrier becomes porous and vascular smooth muscle cells migrate to subendothelial spaces and deposit extracellular matrix proteins resulting in the thickening of the tunica intima. Central arterial stiffness is related to the loss of elastic fibers and the increase of collagen accumulation in the vessel wall, which deteriorates vascular functionality. Endothelial dysfunction and arterial stiffness are mediators connected closely in vascular dysfunction during aging. If the artery is more rigid, greater will be the exposure of the endothelium to hemodynamic load, promoting endothelial activation, inflammation, and oxidative damage. Antioxidant therapies have been shown to attenuate aging-induced changes through endothelial dysfunction and changes in the extracellular arterial matrix that cause central arterial stiffness.