In a recent issue of Dialogues in Cardiovascular Medicine entitled “What If?” (2006, Volume 11, No. 1, pp 1-68), the editorial written by David and I recalled the now well-known, but nevertheless surprising fact that in the animal world there is a very clear relationship between the lifespan of mammals and their heart rate. That relationship, however, does not apply to humans. According to that relationship, human beings with a mean heart rate of 60 beats per minute should live no longer than 20 years. Fortunately, the majority of us enjoy a much longer life, and, in Western countries—but also increasingly in other parts of the world with emerging economies—our lifespan has gained 5 or 10 years over the last decade. This extended lifespan naturally reflects the success of medicine and improved social environment, but it also raises new questions, such as whether conditions like ischemic heart disease are exactly the same in the younger segment of the population as in the older one. The answer is clear: they are not...