A new study, published in The Journals of Gerontology: Series A, suggests that the management of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors may help in preserving physical function during aging.
Approximately 10% of older adults experience muscle weakness and diminished physical function, leading to adverse health outcomes and physical disability, the study noted.
Lead author Dr. Shivani Sahni emphasized that loss of physical function contributes to reduced mobility, disability, institutionalization, and mortality, and thus, managing CVD risk factors could help preserve physical function as one ages.
Vascular Measures Linked to Physical Function
The research highlighted a connection between vascular measures, grip strength, and gait speed (a measure of physical function).
One significant finding was that higher aortic stiffness was associated with a loss of physical function over approximately 11 years.
Dr. Sahni, Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Associate Scientist at the Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research at Hebrew SeniorLife, noted that blood flow declines with aging, partly due to arterial stiffening.
This can result in dysfunction in blood vessel dynamics, contributing to organ pathology and declines in muscle mass.
Implications for Future Research and Interventions
This study, which utilized data from a large cohort of relatively healthy men and women in a longitudinal study design, extends previous research by focusing on the role of vascular function and changes in functional muscle measures such as mobility and muscle strength.
Considering that one-third of older adults experience physical limitations, leading to reduced mobility, disability, institutionalization, and mortality, the authors stressed the need for novel interventions that target the prevention of physical limitations in older adults.
They suggested that future studies should evaluate whether interventions targeting vascular health may reduce age-related declines in physical function.
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The study was published in The Journals of Gerontology: Series A.
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