Cardiovascular aging and the microcirculation of skeletal muscle: using contrast-enhanced ultrasound

Skeletal muscle is the largest and most important site of capillary-tissue exchange, especially during high-energy demand tasks such as exercise; however, information regarding the role of the microcirculation in maintaining skeletal muscle health is limited. Changes in microcirculatory function, as observed with aging, chronic and cardiovascular diseases, and exercise, likely precede any alterations that arise in larger vessels, although …