Investigating the role of integrin-linked kinase (ilk) and β1-integrin (myospheroid, mys) in Drosophila, which colocalize near cardiomyocyte contacts and Z-bands, we find that reduced ilk or mys function prevents the typical changes of cardiac aging seen in wildtype, such as arrhythmias. Here, ILK is linked to Arrhythmia.