Treatment of Early Vascular Ageing

Artery disease can be identified from ankle-brachial index (peripheral artery disease), pulse wave velocity (arterial stiffness), carotid intima media thickness (atherosclerosis) and flow-mediated dilation (endothelial dysfunction). Arterial stiffness is a marker of cardiovascular disease associated with cardiovascular events. Increased vascular ageing is the acceleration of arterial stiffness inappropriate for the given chronological age. Treatment of early vascular ageing seems to be important if we target primary cardiovascular prevention. Known factors that postpone the progression of vascular ageing may include lifestyle interventions such as physical exercise, moderate alcohol consumption, reduced salt consumption and weight reduction, factors that may preserve the vessels healthier than what expected for the chronological age. Hypertension, diabetes mellitus, obstructive sleep apnea and dyslipidemia are factors accelerating vessels damage and should be treated and maintained over time well controlled. In the future, trials are needed in order to identify the best combination of treatment as well as to identify drugs targeting on the vessels ageing.