Vascular aging, i.e., the deterioration of the structure and function of the arteries
over the life course, predicts cardiovascular events and mortality. Vascular degeneration
can be recognized before becoming clinically symptomatic; therefore, its assessment
allows the early identification of individuals at risk. This opens the possibility
of minimizing disease progression. To review these issues, a search was completed
using PubMed, MEDLINE, and Google Scholar from 2000 to date. As a network of clinicians
and scientists involved in vascular medicine, we here describe the structural and
functional age-dependent alterations of the arteries, the clinical tools for an early
diagnosis of vascular aging, and the cellular and molecular events implicated. It
emerges that more studies are necessary to identify the best strategy to quantify
vascular aging, and to design proper physical activity programs, nutritional and pharmacological
strategies, as well as social interventions to prevent, delay, and eventually revert
the disease.
