Cardiac Energetics and Function in Normal Human Ageing

Normal aging is characterized by altered cardiovascular function. Our preliminary data with MR imaging and spectroscopy in normal subjects without cardiovascular disease or hypertension show that age-related cardiac dysfunction is characterized initially by impaired relaxation of the heart (40 - 60 years), and then at > 60 years altered contraction and impaired myocardial energetics. For the first time, the investigators will test whether the functional and energetic effects of normal aging can be reversed by acutely reducing stiffness of peripheral blood vessels using an ACE inhibitor. This will potentially have important insights into how normal aging affects the heart, and how potential treatments could be used to attenuate this process.