Large elastic artery stiffness with aging: novel translational mechanisms and interventions.

Large elastic artery stiffness is an independent predictor of age-related cardiovascular events that is attributable to structural remodeling throughout the artery. The intima, media and adventitial layers of the artery uniquely remodel with advancing age and all contribute to arterial stiffening. The specific expression of the extracellular matrix proteins collagen and elastin, and post-translational modifications of these proteins by advanced glycation end-products are key mechanisms in arterial stiffening with age and will be reviewed in the context of region-specific expression. In addition, interventions for attenuating age-related arterial stiffness and novel imaging advances for translating basic findings to older clinical populations will be discussed.