Which of the following is true about the vascular system of people in their late adult years?

• A. The walls of the blood vessels become thinner.
• B. Baroreceptor sensitivity increases.
• C. Blood vessel elasticity decreases.
• D. Peripheral vascular resistance decreases.

Answer: (C)

As people age, arterial walls lose their stretchiness because the vessels stiffen from arteriosclerotic changes. Elastic fibers degrade, collagen deposition increases, and calcification makes the arteries less compliant. This reduced elasticity is the key feature of vascular aging and explains why older adults often have higher systolic pressures and wider pulse pressures, with the heart facing a greater afterload.

The other statements don’t fit aging patterns: vessels don’t typically become thinner; they tend to stiffen and sometimes thicken due to structural remodeling. Baroreceptor sensitivity actually decreases with age, making blood pressure regulation less precise, not more. Peripheral vascular resistance tends to increase, not decrease, as vessels lose compliance and lumen size effects from atherosclerotic changes raise resistance.