Aging Hearts and Arteries A Scientific Quest

Age is the major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Heart disease and stroke incidence rises steeply after age 65 accounting for more than 40 percent of all deaths among people age 65 to 74 and almost 60 percent at age 85 and above. People age 65 and older are much more likely than younger people to suffer a heart attack, to have a stroke, or to develop coronary heart disease and high blood pressure leading to heart failure. Cardiovascular disease is also a major cause of disability, limiting the activity and eroding the quality of life of