Vagal modulation and aging

Cardiovascular disease accounts for approximately 30% of all deaths worldwide, and will only worsen as the world's population ages. It is well-established that age, per se, is a major risk factor and contributor to all cardiovascular morbidities and mortalities. However, environmental factors, including a lack of exercise, appear to play a critical role in the onset and progression of cardiovascular disease. This paper reviews the literature on cardiac variability and aging and addresses risk factors associated with aging that can be modified and possibly attenuate the decline of heart rate variability with aging, including exercise training to increase vagal modulation. Thus, results of the studies described in this review support a potential benefit of increasing or maintaining fitness in order to slow the decline of parasympathetic control of HR with normal aging. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.