Vascular age vs. chronological age in operative risk stratification

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Early vascular aging (EVA) reflects a disconnect between chronological and biological vascular age due to endothelial dysfunction and inflammation.
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Conditions like hypertension, coronary artery disease, and heart failure significantly accelerate vascular aging, impacting surgical risk.
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Vascular age can be quantitatively assessed using cardiovascular risk markers, providing a more accurate survival prediction than chronological age.
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Pulse wave velocity (PWV) is a key noninvasive measure of vascular stiffness and a reliable predictor of cardiovascular mortality.
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Hypertension leads to structural changes in blood vessels, increasing stiffness and accelerating the biological aging of the cardiovascular system.

Frontiers In Cardiovascular Medicine

by Kenyon Sprankle, Christopher Potestio, Vonna Jonna Venkatasai S., Meghna Matthews, Lawrence J. Mulligan
May 14, 2026

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