The research focus of the Babcock Lab is on autonomic and renal mechanisms underlying the development of hypertension and cardiovascular disease in older adults. We focus on how declines in sex hormones (testosterone in men, estrogen in women) contribute to impaired blood pressure control and seek to optimize lifestyle interventions to improve blood pressure status.
Why do we care?
Hypertension is the most common modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular diseases in Colorado, the U.S., and the world. Increasing age is a major contributor to rising blood pressure, but the exact mechanisms remain poorly understood. Understanding how aging affects blood pressure control will improve our ability to control blood pressure and reduce the burden of cardiovascular diseases in older adults.
