Preventing cardiovascular disease in old aortas

Researchers look for the root cause of age-related aortic stiffness -- an early sign cardiovascular disease -- and uncover a potential therapeutic target for reducing or preventing its development. The underlying cause of aortic stiffening is unclear. While much of the previous research pointed to the extracellular matrix (ECM) -- a group of molecules secreted by the cells that support cell attachment and communication -- as the culprit, a few studies suggest that vascular smooth muscle may play...