The aging hypertensive heart: a brief update.

Hypertension and aging are major independent risk factors for cardiovascular-related morbidity and mortality. Although independent, these two entities are closely related and operate simultaneously to adversely affect the cardiovascular system. In many aspects the morphologic and functional changes that occur in the cardiovascular system with aging and hypertension are similar; both include left ventricular hypertrophy, fibrosis and dysfunction. In this report we briefly summarize the primary pathophysiology of cardiovascular aging and hypertension and describe the clinical and therapeutic impact that hypertension and aging combined have on the cardiovascular system.