Keywords
Endothelium
Exercise
Pulse Wave Analysis
Lifestyle
How to Cite
Abstract
Introduction: Vascular aging is a natural process characterized by the progressive deterioration of blood vessels, associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension, atherosclerosis, and stroke. Changes such as endothelial dysfunction and arterial stiffness compromise blood flow and tissue oxygenation, impacting overall health. Objectives: To analyze the effects of exercise on vascular aging and review assessment methods, such as Pulse Wave Analysis (PWA), for monitoring arterial health. Methodology: A bibliographic review was conducted using PubMed, Scielo, and LILACS databases, with descriptors such as “vascular aging,” “pulse wave analysis,” and “exercise.” Studies in Portuguese and English were included, excluding duplicates and irrelevant articles. The search was optimized with Boolean operators, ensuring a comprehensive and up-to-date review. Results: Vascular aging increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases and impairs cognitive function due to reduced efficiency of blood vessels in delivering oxygen and nutrients. PWA emerged as an effective non-invasive technique, assessing parameters such as arterial stiffness (through the augmentation index - AIx) and central blood pressure (CBP), which reflects pressure on vital organs. Regular exercise demonstrated significant benefits, improving endothelial function through nitric oxide production and reducing chronic inflammation associated with aging. Additionally, physical activity regulates blood pressure and lipid metabolism, mitigating the effects of vascular aging. Conclusions: Exercise is essential for combating vascular aging, promoting cardiovascular health, and reducing the risk of related diseases. PWA is a valuable tool for monitoring arterial health and guiding preventive interventions. Adopting an active lifestyle, combined with technologies such as PWA, can significantly improve well-being and quality of life.
References
Ahmed, B., Rahman, A., Lee, S., & Malhotra, R. (2024). The Implications of Aging on Vascular Health. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 25. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms252011188.
Donato, A., Machin, D., & Lesniewski, L. (2018). Mechanisms of Dysfunction in the Aging Vasculature and Role in Age-Related Disease. Circulation Research, 123, 825–848. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.118.312563.
Thijssen, D., Carter, S., & Green, D. (2016). Arterial structure and function in vascular ageing: are you as old as your arteries?. The Journal of Physiology, 594. https://doi.org/10.1113/JP270597.
Seals, D., Nagy, E., & Moreau, K. (2019). Aerobic exercise training and vascular function with ageing in healthy men and women. The Journal of Physiology, 597. https://doi.org/10.1113/JP277764.
Maier, J., Andrés, V., Castiglioni, S., Giudici, A., Lau, E., Nemcsik, J., Seta, F., Zaninotto, P., Catalano, M., & Hamburg, N. (2023). Aging and Vascular Disease: A Multidisciplinary Overview. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 12. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12175512.
Toth, P., Tarantini, S., Csiszar, A., & Ungvari, Z. (2017). Functional vascular contributions to cognitive impairment and dementia: mechanisms and consequences of cerebral autoregulatory dysfunction, endothelial impairment, and neurovascular uncoupling in aging.. American journal of physiology. Heart and circulatory physiology, 312 1, H1-H20 . https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpheart.00581.2016.
Solanki, J., Mehta, H., & Shah, C. (2018). Pulse wave analyzed cardiovascular parameters in young first degree relatives of hypertensives. Journal of Research in Medical Sciences : The Official Journal of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, 23. https://doi.org/10.4103/jrms.JRMS_581_16.
Choi, C., Kim, E., Kim, S., Shin, S., Choi, U., Kim, J., Lim, H., Rha, S., Park, C., Seo, H., & Oh, D. (2010). Differing effects of aging on central and peripheral blood pressures and pulse wave velocity: a direct intraarterial study. Journal of Hypertension, 28, 1252–1260. https://doi.org/10.1097/HJH.0b013e328337dad6.
Rossman, M., Kaplon, R., Hill, S., McNamara, M., Santos-Parker, J., Pierce, G., Seals, D., & Donato, A. (2017). Endothelial cell senescence with aging in healthy humans: prevention by habitual exercise and relation to vascular endothelial function.. American journal of physiology. Heart and circulatory physiology, 313 5, H890-H895 . https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpheart.00416.2017.
Beavers, K., Brinkley, T., & Nicklas, B. (2010). Effect of exercise training on chronic inflammation.. Clinica chimica acta; international journal of clinical chemistry, 411 11-12, 785-93 . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cca.2010.02.069.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Copyright (c) 2025 Micaele de Barros Novaes, Ana Maria Cardoso Teixeira, Rafael Cordeiro Moreira Dias, Victoria Maria Pinheiro de Barros Azevedo , Maialú Dantas Carneiro , Raiza de Carvalho Boureau, Cleydson Santos, José Fabio ´Possidônio Ferreira