Year:
Applicant:
Institution:
Email:
macdonmj@mcmaster.ca
Keywords:
cardiovascular risk and risk factors
carotid intima-media thickness (c-IMT)
cartoid arterial stiffness
inflammation
vascular health
Project ID:
20CA008
Approved Project Status:
Project Summary
As Canadians are living longer, it is crucial to understand key modifiable risk factors that are associated with aging and find sensitive ways for early detection of disease processes. Carotid artery wall thickness and stiffness are measures of blood vessel health that currently serve as research tools that might also be good early indicators of cardiovascular disease risk associated with aging. Aging is also associated with an increase in functional limitations, with data newly released from the baseline data collection of the CLSA showing that 41% of all participants reported a lower-body functional limitation, and 25% reported an upper body limitation. While a relationship between blood vessel and functional health has been observed previously, there have been no population-based studies that have examined this relationship in aging adults. Our project will utilize the existing carotid artery ultrasound images and blood pressure values from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging.
