Age-related Diseases & Conditions
Aging is part of the life cycle. The body goes through natural changes. Some of these changes leave you more vulnerable to illness or injury.
Heart disease is more common in older adults than in young people. The blood vessels lose their elasticity with age. The heart wall stiffens. Fatty deposits may line the arteries.
- High blood pressure also occurs more often in older adults. With less elasticity, the blood vessels have more trouble responding to changes in blood volume.
- Osteoarthritis takes place over time. It often occurs from wear and tear on the joints. Injury or stress of extra weight on the joints increases your risk.
- Osteoporosis is a disease of weak bones, prone to breaking. Bones become less dense with age. Osteoporosis occurs most often in post-menopausal women.
- Type 2 diabetes is quite common in older adults. It occurs when the body does not produce enough insulin or the cells do not use the available insulin. Obesity and inactivity increases your risk.
- Visual impairments or vision changes often occur in later life. You may have more difficulty seeing in dim light. And the eye does not react as quickly when moving from a bright area to an unlit area or vice versa. Other aging related conditions include:
Cataracts, a clouding of the eye’s lens
Macular degeneration, cells in the macular area of the retina malfunction, resulting in vision loss
