Institute of Sport Sciences, University of Lausanne, CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland.
Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, A-6020, Austria.
Aging Dis. 2023 Dec 1;14(6):2051-2070. doi: 10.14336/AD.2023.0424.
Older individuals represent a growing population, in industrialized countries, particularly those with cardiovascular diseases, which remain the leading cause of death in western societies. Aging constitutes one of the largest risks for cardiovascular diseases. On the other hand, oxygen consumption is the foundation of cardiorespiratory fitness, which in turn is linearly related to mortality, quality of life and numerous morbidities. Therefore, hypoxia is a stressor that induces beneficial or harmful adaptations, depending on the dose. While severe hypoxia can exert detrimental effects, such as high-altitude illnesses, moderate and controlled oxygen exposure can potentially be used therapeutically. It can improve numerous pathological conditions, including vascular abnormalities, and potentially slows down the progression of various age-related disorders. Hypoxia can exert beneficial effects on inflammation, oxidative stress, mitochondrial functions, and cell survival, which are all increased with age and have been discussed as main promotors of aging. This narrative review discusses specificities of the aging cardiovascular system in hypoxia. It draws upon an extensive literature search on the effects of hypoxia/altitude interventions (acute, prolonged, or intermittent exposure) on the cardiovascular system in older individuals (over 50 years old). Special attention is directed toward the use of hypoxia exposure to improve cardiovascular health in older individuals.
老年人在工业化国家中是一个不断增长的群体，特别是那些患有心血管疾病的老年人，这些疾病仍然是西方社会的主要死亡原因。衰老构成了心血管疾病的最大风险之一。另一方面，氧气消耗是心肺适应能力的基础，而心肺适应能力与死亡率、生活质量和许多疾病的发生呈线性相关。因此，缺氧是一种应激源，可以根据剂量产生有益或有害的适应。虽然严重的缺氧会产生不利影响，如高原病，但适度和控制的氧气暴露可能具有治疗潜力。它可以改善许多病理状况，包括血管异常，并可能减缓各种与年龄相关的疾病的进展。缺氧可以对炎症、氧化应激、线粒体功能和细胞存活产生有益影响，这些因素随着年龄的增长而增加，并被认为是衰老的主要促进因素。本综述讨论了低氧环境下衰老心血管系统的特殊性。它参考了大量关于低氧/海拔干预（急性、长期或间歇性暴露）对老年人（50 岁以上）心血管系统影响的文献。特别关注利用低氧暴露来改善老年人的心血管健康。
