The impacts of age and frailty on heart rate and sinoatrial node function

摘要

Key points class="unordered" style="list-style-type:disc" id="tjp7498-list-0001">Sinoatrial node (SAN) function declines with age; however, not all individuals age at the same rate and health status can vary from fit to frail.Frailty was quantified in young and aged mice using a non‐invasive frailty index so that the impacts of age and frailty on heart rate and SAN function could be assessed.SAN function was impaired in aged mice due to alterations in electrical conduction, changes in SAN action potential morphology and fibrosis in the SAN.Changes in SAN function, electrical conduction, action potential morphology and fibrosis were correlated with, and graded by, frailty.This study shows that mice of the same chronological age have quantifiable differences in health status that impact heart rate and SAN function and that these differences in health status can be identified using our frailty index.