Vascular limitations in blood pressure regulation with age in women: Insights from exercise and acute cardioselective β-blockade

Matthew J. Studinski, Christine Bowlus, James A. Pawelczyk, Jocelyn M. Delgado Spicuzza, Jigar Gosalia, Swapan Mookerjee, Matthew D. Muller, Jason Fragin, David N. Proctor

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Younger women rely on altering cardiac output ((Formula presented.)) to regulate blood pressure (BP). In contrast, older women rely more on altering vascular tone. However, evidence suggests that the ability to alter systemic vascular conductance (SVC) is diminished in older women. In the present study, cardioselective β-blockade was utilized to diminish the relative contribution of (Formula presented.) to BP regulation and thereby evaluate age-related vascular limitations in women at rest and during large muscle dynamic exercise. Younger (n = 13, mean age 26.0 years) and older (n = 14, mean age 61.8 years) healthy women performed submaximal bouts of semi-recumbent cycling exercise at varying intensities while receiving an intravenous infusion of esmolol, a β1-antagonist, or saline control in a repeated-measures crossover design. (Formula presented.) was attenuated during esmolol infusion, with greater reductions during exercise (moderate, –1.0 (95% CI, –1.6 to –0.5) L/min, P < 0.001; heavy, –2.0 (95% CI, –2.6 to –1.5) L/min, P < 0.001) than seated rest (–0.5 (95% CI, –1.1 to 0.0) L/min, P = 0.048), and this reduction was not significantly different between age groups (P = 0.122). Older women exhibited a greater attenuation in mean arterial pressure (MAP) during esmolol (–7 (95% CI, –9 to –4) mmHg, P < 0.001) relative to younger women (–2 (95% CI, –5 to 0) mmHg, P = 0.071). These changes coincided with a greater reduction of SVC in the younger women during esmolol (–15 (95% CI, –20 to –10) mL/min/mmHg, P < 0.001) compared to older women (–3 (95% CI, –9 to 2) mL/min/mmHg, P = 0.242). Together, these findings provide evidence that older, postmenopausal women have a diminished ability to adjust SVC in order to regulate MAP.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)93-105
Number of pages13
JournalExperimental Physiology
Volume110
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 1 2025

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Physiology
  • Nutrition and Dietetics
  • Physiology (medical)

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