Aortic Wall Stress and Remodeling: From Healthy Aging to Athletic Adaptation and Pathological Dilation

Our research focuses on the aorta, the body's main and largest artery that carries blood from the heart to the rest of the body, and how it responds to exercise across different ages and fitness levels. This vital blood vessel can undergo various changes over time, some beneficial and others potentially concerning, making it essential to distinguish between normal adaptation and pathological changes. We will examine three key aspects of aortic health and exercise. First, we will investigate how the force or pressure exerted on the aortic wall, known as Aortic Wall Stress (AWS), changes during acute aerobic and resistance exercise in people of different ages and fitness levels. Second, we will compare how the aorta responds to acute exercise in three distinct groups: patients with enlarged aortas (also known as ascending thoracic aortic aneurysms, ATAA), healthy individuals with normal aortas who have the same cardiovascular risk factors as ATAA, and older endurance-trained master athletes who have developed enlarged aortas through years of training (MA-AoD). Lastly, we will track how the aorta changes over time in individuals with ATAA and MA-AoD to understand how different levels of physical activity influence aortic growth and adaptation. The findings of this research will offer important insights into how age and fitness affect the health of the aorta. They will help us differentiate between normal changes and potential problems that may occur in MA-AoD and ATAA and provide guidelines for safe exercise levels to prevent a decline in aortic health and function in these populations.