AGING, EXERCISE, & ENDOTHELIAL FUNCTION

大多数与衰老相关的心血管并发症都是由于血管结构和功能的不利变化造成的。这项研究项目的总体目标是确定在体育活动人群中内皮功能是否随着年龄的增长而下降。一般的假设是，在经常运动的人群中，内皮功能不会随着年龄的增长而下降。为了验证这一假设，将使用一个横截面模型来证明健康久坐成年人的内皮依赖性血管扩张功能与年龄相关的下降，以及在经常运动的成年人中没有这种下降。血管内皮依赖性和非内皮依赖性的血管扩张将分别由臂内注射乙酰胆碱和硝普钠引起的前臂血流变化(应变计体积图)来确定。一氧化氮合酶抑制剂NG-单甲基-L-精氨酸也将被动脉内给药，以确定与年龄和/或体力活动有关的一氧化氮基础形成和释放的任何差异。本研究的结果将为习惯性体力活动对与年龄相关的内皮功能下降的影响提供新的临床有用的见解。

Most of the cardiovascular complications associated with aging are due to adverse-changes in vascular structure and function. The general aim of this research project is to determine whether endothelial function declines with age in physically active populations. The general hypothesis is that endothelial function does not decline with age in physically active populations. To test this hypothesis, a cross-sectional model will be used to document the age-related decline in endothelium-dependent vasodilatation in healthy sedentary adults and the lack of such a decline in physically active adults. Endothelium-dependent and -independent vasodilatation will be determined by changes in forearm blood flow (strain-gauge plethysmography) induced by intrabrachial infusions of acetylcholine and sodium nitroprusside, respectively. The nitric oxide synthase inhibitor NG-monomethyl-L-arginine will also be administered intra-arterially to allow the determination of any age-and/or physical activity-related differences in the basal formation and release of nitric oxide. The results of the present study should provide new and clinically useful insight into the influence of habitual physical activity on the age-related decline in endothelial function.