There is an increase in calculated peripheral resistance, both at rest and at increased workloads as compared to young individuals at the same workload.
There is a loss of the heart's ability to increase inotropicity (contractility) during exercise with increasing age, and an increased reliance on the Frank-Starling mechanism to attain elevated stroke volumes.
If atherosclerotic disease is present cardiovascular function will be compromised even more rapidly, and impaired function sooner or later becomes incompatible with life.