The Interplay of Lifestyle in Cardiovascular Aging: Mechanisms and Therapeutic Opportunities

With the global trend of population aging, age-related diseases are increasing annually. The vascular system exhibits high sensitivity to aging, characterized by myocardial cell apoptosis, endothelial damage, oxidative stress, impaired autophagy, and chronic low-grade inflammatory responses. These factors significantly elevate the incidence of atherosclerosis, hypertension, myocardial infarction, and stroke, which are major cardiovascular diseases. Although the aging process is irreversible, biological aging is a highly heterogeneous process influenced by lifestyle, genetics, and the environment. Smoking, alcohol consumption, high-fat diets, and sedentary lifestyles are significant drivers of cardiovascular diseases. Modulating age-related biological determinants and altering unhealthy lifestyles can be beneficial in delaying cardiovascular aging.