AGING, EXERCISE, & ENDOTHELIAL FUNCTION

大部分与衰老相关的心血管并发症是由于血管结构和功能的不良变化。本研究项目的总体目标是确定在体力活动人群中内皮功能是否随年龄而下降。一般的假设是，在体力活动人群中，内皮功能不会随着年龄的增长而下降。为了检验这一假设，将使用一个横断面模型来记录健康久坐成人中内皮依赖性血管舒张的年龄相关性下降，以及缺乏体力活动的成人中内皮依赖性血管舒张的年龄相关性下降。分别通过臂内输注乙酰胆碱和硝普钠诱导的前臂血流变化（应变计体积描记法）确定内皮依赖性和非依赖性血管舒张。一氧化氮合酶抑制剂NG-单甲基-L-精氨酸也将动脉内给药，以确定一氧化氮基础形成和释放中的任何年龄和/或体力活动相关差异。本研究的结果应提供新的和临床上有用的洞察力的影响，习惯性体力活动的年龄相关的内皮功能下降。

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.