The purpose of this study is to describe aortic (aPWV) and carotid stiffness (DC) in older adults according to age, gender and blood pressure. Information on both measures was available for 2766 subjects. The mean value of both aPWV and DC was lower in women than in men. The difference (95% CI) in aPWV was −0.99 (−0.81 to −1.18) (m/s) and the difference in DC was −1.62 (−1.35 to −1.82) (10⁻³/kPa) for women as compared for men. With aging, both aorta and carotid artery become stiffer but the increase attenuates at high age. Women under 80 years of age had a less stiff aorta and a stiffer common carotid artery as compared to men of the same age. The relations of both measures of arterial stiffness with SBP and PP were non-linear, flattening off at higher levels, whereas the relation with DBP was non-linear and resembled a J-shape. We found a quadratic relationship between DC and aPWV: DC = 27.4 − 1.9 ^∗ (aPWV) + 0.04 ∗ (aPWV)² [p total model ≤ 0.001], (R²= −0.41, P<0.001). Subjects with increased aortic stiffness had a 30-fold increased risk of also having increased carotid stiffness, OR 31.2 (95% CI 20.9−46.4) (Figure 1).

Figure 1

Mean (95% CI) aPWV and DC per 5-years age category in strata of gender. ^*p < 0.05 for difference between men and women.