Help the development of the site, sharing the article with friends!

The heart of an average Pole may be even 8-9 years older than his birth certificate indicates - these are the conclusions of the NATPOL 2011 study. This means that from year to year the aging process of our heart may be faster than our years pass. .

As time passes, the heart stops working at top speed and various ailments may appear. Howthe cardiovascular systemchanges with age and what threatens it - suggestscardiologistBogumiła Pałubicka-Elmasri.

Age-related heart disease

The World He alth Organization (WHO) recognized the patient's age - 65 years for women and 55 years for men - as an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. - However, according to the SCORE tables, already a 45-year-old man who does not care about his he alth is a smoker and, moreover, does not treat hypertension and high cholesterol levels, is at a similar risk of dying from cardiovascular diseases as his 60-year-old , a non-smoking colleague whose blood pressure and cholesterol levels are at the right level - warns cardiologist Bogumiła Pałubicka-Elmasri. That is why it is worth knowing which diseases appear among the elderly, and more and more often they also affect the younger part of the population.

Hypertension

The risk of its occurrence in the elderly is much greater. In the 65+ group, over 50% suffer from hypertension. society. This is in part the result of spontaneous changes in the vessels. This is because blood pressure naturally increases with age. In most patients, as a result of progressive damage to the walls of blood vessels, systolic pressure continues to rise with stabilized diastolic pressure. When its value exceeds 139 mmHg and the diastolic blood pressure drops below 90 mmHg, we speak of isolated systolic blood pressure, which is a common disease in the elderly. However, as the statistics alarm, due to the unhe althy lifestyle (obesity, stimulants, etc.), this disease can also develop in much younger patients.

Coronary (ischemic) disease

This disease appears more often in the elderly. Men over 55 and women over 65 are at increased risk of developing this disease. Coronary artery diseaseit leads to impaired heart function by reducing the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the heart muscle. The main cause of this is atherosclerosis of the coronary vessels surrounding the heart - that is, the accumulation of fatty material that circulates in the blood in their inner walls. Inelastic and thickened arterial walls in elderly patients are even more susceptible to these changes. Ultimately, the disease makes blood flow difficult and the heart inadequately oxygenated, leading to a heart attack at worst.

Heart failure

The risk of developing this condition increases with age. Less than 45 years of age, failure occurs in about 1 percent. population. However, after 80 years, this disease is noted even in 10-20 percent. inhabitants of the globe. The cause of this disease is impaired heart function and insufficient blood flow to meet the body's needs. Heart failure can develop as a result of high blood pressure or ischemic heart disease, including a heart attack. The high pressures generated in overpressure damage the heart and force the muscle to work beyond its strength, and ischemic disease and infarction weaken the heart muscle through hypoxia.

Cardiac arrhythmias

They are the result of the disrupted generation and conduction of electrical impulses that are responsible for the contraction of the heart muscle. Rhythm disturbances are manifested by irregular heartbeat, fast and uneven pulse, weakness and shortness of breath. The causes of these ailments may be myocardial ischemia, atherosclerosis, damage to the heart valves or arterial hypertension. Among the many types of heart rhythm disturbances, atrial fibrillation can even be called "elderly arrhythmia". In people under 40-50 years of age, less than 0.5% suffer from it. of the population, but among 80-year-olds - as much as 5-15 percent.

Help the development of the site, sharing the article with friends!

Category:

Cardiology