Evidence mapPaperPMID 40372276Full record

ReviewAging2025

Age-associated changes in the heart: implications for COVID-19 therapies.

Colby Wood, Wm Zachary Salter, Isaiah Garcia, Michelle Nguyen, Andres Rios, Jacqui Oropeza, Destiny Ugwa, Upasana Mukherjee, Ujala Sehar, P Hemachandra Reddy

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Aging, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Colby WoodDepartment of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA.
Wm Zachary SalterDepartment of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA.
Isaiah GarciaDepartment of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA.
Michelle NguyenDepartment of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA.
Andres RiosDepartment of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA.
Jacqui OropezaDepartment of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA.
Destiny UgwaDepartment of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA.
Upasana MukherjeeDepartment of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA.
Ujala SeharDepartment of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA.
P Hemachandra ReddyDepartment of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Cardiac aging involves progressive structural, functional, cellular, and molecular changes that impair heart function. This review explores key mechanisms, including oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, impaired autophagy, and chronic low-grade inflammation. Excess reactive oxygen species (ROS) damage heart muscle cells, contributing to fibrosis and cellular aging. Mitochondrial dysfunction reduces energy production and increases oxidative stress, accelerating cardiac decline. Impaired autophagy limits the removal of damaged proteins and organelles, while inflammation activates signaling molecules that drive tissue remodeling. Gender differences reveal estrogen's protective role in premenopausal women, with men showing greater susceptibility to heart muscle dysfunction and injury. After menopause, women lose this hormonal protection, increasing their risk of cardiovascular conditions. Ethnic disparities, particularly among underserved minority populations, emphasize how social factors such as access to care, environment, and chronic stress contribute to worsening cardiovascular outcomes. The coronavirus disease pandemic has introduced further challenges by increasing the incidence of heart damage through inflammation, blood clots, and long-term heart failure, especially in older adults with existing metabolic conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure. The virus's interaction with receptors on heart and blood vessel cells, along with a weakened immune response in older adults, intensifies cardiac aging. Emerging therapies include delivery of therapeutic extracellular vesicles, immune cell modulation, and treatments targeting mitochondria. In addition, lifestyle strategies such as regular physical activity, nutritional improvements, and stress reduction remain vital to maintaining cardiac health. Understanding how these biological and social factors intersect is critical to developing targeted strategies that promote healthy aging of the heart.

Indexed as

AgingCOVID-19HeartFemaleHumansMaleOxidative StressSARS-CoV-2cardiac agingCOVID-19 cardiovascular complicationshealth disparitiesmitochondrial dysfunctionoxidative stress

Identifiers

PMID40372276
PMCPMC12151517

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.