Aging is inevitable, and with the years come many types of common diseases. In fact, most of adults over the age of 65 have at least one chronic condition. Let’s take a look at the 10 most common disease of the elderly,
10 Most Common Diseases of the Elderly
10. COPD. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease that includes two main conditions, chronic bronchitis and emphysema. COPD causes the elderly to have difficulty breathing and experience symptoms such as chest tightness, shortness of breath, and frequent cough bouts.
9. Alzheimer’s Disease. Alzheimer’s is a specific type of dementia. It causes memory loss and inability to think, make sound judgments, problem solve, or even accomplish the simplest tasks.
8. Depression. Many elderly feel constant feelings of pessimism, sadness, hopelessness, fatigue, appetite and sleep changes, loss of interest in activities, and inability to make decisions.
7. Heart Failure. Many aging seniors suffer from this condition, in which the heart can’t supply enough blood and oxygen to the rest of the body. This can cause the heart to become enlarge and develop more mass. Its symptoms include fatigue, feeling light-headed, nausea, confusion, and lack of appetite.
6. Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). This causes progressive and slow loss in kidney function. People who have CKD are also more prone to develop heart disease and kidney failure.
5. Diabetes. Because of our modern lifestyle, many people suffer from diabetes, young and old. This condition occurs when the body is resistant to, or can’t produce enough, insulin. Complications include heart disease, kidney disease, and blindness.
4. Ischemic Heart Disease. Also called coronary heart disease, this condition occurs when your arteries develop plaque build-up. With this, the passages leading to the heart becomes narrow. Complications include blood clots, angina, and heart attack.
3. Arthritis. This disease occurs when your joints become inflamed, causing stiffness and pain. Some arthritis cases can become so advanced that people ahve a hard time performing simple tasks.
2. High Cholesterol. This happens when your body has excess body fats, which can then clog your arteries, therefore leading to heart disease.
1. Hypertension. Also known as high blood pressure, hypertension occurs when your blood pumps a lot of blood, but your arteries are clogged or are too narrow to facilitate a smooth flow. This can cause many complications, such as strokes and heart attacks.
Knowing these diseases can help you be prepared and also help you understand the things that your elderly parents may also be going through.