Atherosclerosis and aging.

Atherosclerosis reflects interactions among several independent, age-related alterations of both structure and metabolism. While intrinsic aging appears to play a role, particularly in relation to the biology of arterial wall cells, atherosclerosis can best be considered an age-related disease that can be profoundly influenced by both environmental and genetic factors, rather than simply the inevitable consequence of intrinsic aging. Since intrinsic aging processes are as yet poorly understood and genetic manipulation is still only a theoretical possibility, efforts should be directed at understanding and reversing the environmental risk factors that act over time and accelerate atherosclerosis throughout the life span.