Decrease in cardiovascular parasympathetic function tests a decade earlier in females.

The au tonomic nervous sys tem i s v i ta l for homeostasis and its potency is gradually reduced wi th increas ing age (1 ) . Because ANS faci l i ta tes adaptat ion to physiological s t ress , au tonomic insuf f ic iency in e lder ly may not manifest itself under normal resting condi t ions , ye t may occur in response to changes in homeostasis (2). In old age though both sympathetic and parasympathetic are affected but parasympathe t ic invo lvement appears to be more frequent than sympathetic (1).