Diminished beta-adrenergic modulation of cardiovascular function in advanced age.

Beta-adrenergic modulation of cardiovascular tissue is an important determinant of cardiovascular performance during stress. Studies that range from measurements of the cardiovascular stress response in man to those of subcellular reactions in animal tissues indicate that a diminution in the responsiveness of the heart and vasculature to beta-adrenergic stimulation occurs with aging. When considered in toto, the results of these studies suggest that this deficit is among the most prominent alterations in cardiovascular function that occurs with aging in the absence of specific disease states. This may have important implications in the clinical manifestations of cardiovascular disease in the elderly.