Cardiometabolic aging is focused on heart and the liver, and the interactions that take place as loss of function and dysregulation occurs in one, other, or both. Everything in the body is connected, structurally and chemically. The liver is the center of cholesterol metabolism, and cholesterol is at the center of the development of atherosclerosis, for example. This isn’t the only way that the liver can affect vascular health, and in return many aspects of vascular health can also affect the function of the liver.
Metabolic compromise is crucial in aggravating age-associated chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, mitochondrial damage, increased LDL and triglycerides, and elevated blood pressure. Excessive adiposity, hyperglycemia, and insulin resistance due to aging are associated with elevated levels of damaging free radicals, inducing a proinflammatory state and hampering immune cell activity, leading to a malfunctioning cardiometabolic condition. The age-associated oxidative load and redox imbalance are contributing factors for cardiometabolic morbidities via vascular remodelling and endothelial damage.
Recent evidence has claimed the importance of gut microbiota in maintaining regular metabolic activity, which declines with chronological aging and cardiometabolic comorbidities. Genetic mutations, polymorphic changes, and environmental factors strongly correlate with increased vulnerability to aberrant cardiometabolic changes by affecting key physiological pathways. Numerous studies have reported a robust link between biological aging and cardiometabolic dysfunction. This review outlines the scientific evidence exploring potential mechanisms behind the onset and development of cardiovascular and metabolic issues, particularly exacerbated with aging.
