Role of Autophagy in Cardiovascular Disease and Aging

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide and is expected to further increase as people continue to live even longer. Although the life span of the general population is increasing, the con of such a prolonged life span is that aging has certain detrimental effects on the molecular, structural, and functional elements of the cardiovascular system. This review will discuss various molecular pathways linked to longevity, most notably autophagy and its associated mechanisms, and how these pathways can be targeted to promote cardiovascular health through the process of aging. It is to be noted that the process of autophagy decreases with aging; hence, this review concludes that the promotion of autophagy, through implementation of caloric restriction, intermittent fasting, and pharmacologic agents, has proven to be an efficacious means of stimulating cardiovascular health. Therefore, autophagy is an important target for prevention and procrastination of cardiovascular pathologies in the geriatric population.