Book excerpt: Early Vascular Aging (EVA): New Directions in Cardiovascular Protection, Second Edition continues to be the most comprehensive and authoritative resource on premature alterations in artery structure and function. The book presents a novel approach to the problem of cardiovascular disease, showing it in relation to great vessels disease and revealing a comprehensive approach to the problem of increased rigidity of the great vessels, its causes, and further consequences. This second edition contains completely updated content with expanded coverage of basic and translational research, systematic reviews of the most prominent literature, discussion of applicability of new evidence and more. Written by an international team of clinicians and researchers, this is a valuable resource to basic and translational scientists, clinical researchers and clinicians in the cardiovascular field interested in prevention, diagnosis and treatment of EVA. - Contains all the relevant information available on the main paradigm shifts in vascular aging research, from different fields of knowledge (from basic biology to epidemiology) - Reviews the most prominent evidence produced on early vascular aging (EVA), highlighting recent research advances, clinical applications, and research opportunities - Formulates, in each chapter, a set of research questions that need to be addressed, challenging the vast research community to take on new directions and collaborations