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Contrary to what some might assume, the walls of the heart typically thicken, not thin, with age. This natural, age-related change, known as cardiac hypertrophy, is a crucial aspect of senior heart health and warrants a deeper look into the mechanisms behind it.
While the prevalence of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) undeniably increases with age, affecting a significant percentage of older adults, it is not a normal or benign consequence of growing older. This condition, marked by the thickening of the heart's main pumping chamber, is a critical risk factor for serious cardiovascular events and warrants careful medical attention, especially in seniors.
By age 75, many people experience a significant reduction in the number of pacemaker cells in the sinoatrial node, and the heart wall can indeed thicken. The question, **does the heart thicken with age**, reveals a complex process involving structural and functional changes to the cardiovascular system over time.
According to the National Institute on Aging, cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death among older adults, but age-related changes are not always pathological. The question, "Does the heart wall thicken with age?" delves into the complex, often misunderstood, aspects of the cardiovascular aging process.
