Cardiovascular diseases, including coronary artery disease, strokes, heart failure, hypertension, and atherosclerosis are very common in the elderly. It is estimated that at least 3/4 of patients over 60 years of age have one of the above-mentioned diseases. Most of the risk factors for these diseases can be changed, so you can reduce your exposure to and the likelihood of developing heart disease. Find out which risk factors are more common in the elderly and how to reduce them.

Exposure to cardiovascular diseases in old age is related not only to age itself, but also to other diseases or inappropriate habits.

Therefore, it is crucial to give up bad behavior, especially smoking in the elderly. The introduction of a proper diet (e.g. Mediterranean diet) and regular physical activity within the limits of your abilities also bring great benefits.

It is also worth remembering about regular preventive examinations, the selection of which will be best decided by the doctor. Cardiovascular diseases and the presence of their risk factors may deteriorate functioning and limit performance in everyday life, which is why it is so important to take care of your he alth also in old age.

Cardiovascular risk factors: ischemic heart disease

Coronary heart disease (coronary artery disease) is caused by narrowing of the arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle, most often caused by atherosclerosis, and reduces the amount of oxygen and nutrients reaching the heart. It has been proven that certain circumstances and other diseases contribute to its occurrence and are known as risk factors.

They can be divided into unmodified and modifiable. We have influence on the latter and we are able to influence their occurrence. However, it requires effort, changing your habits and habits, which may not be easy in old age, but it will certainly benefit your heart.

These are:

  • improper diet - high content of simple sugars (sweets) and animal fats is very conducive to elevated cholesterol values, which translates into the occurrence of coronary artery disease,
  • smoking has a very strong negative effect on the cardiovascular system.Due to the higher risk of coronary heart disease, it is especially important to quit smoking in the elderly,
  • little physical activity, unfortunately for many seniors. It is easy to change this aspect of life - start your activity with as much effort as possible, e.g. walking, and with time make more and more efforts - cycling, Nordic walking,
  • hypertension - a disease common in the elderly, it is found in 2/3 of patients over 65 years of age. Most often, it does not cause any symptoms, but can lead to serious consequences - it is a risk factor not only for coronary heart disease, but also for stroke. To reduce the risk of high blood pressure, you need to check your blood pressure regularly, treat it, and keep it below 140 / 80mmHg.
  • diabetes - also a common disease of seniors, it is directly related to obesity. Proper glycemic control, "sugar" significantly reduces the risk associated with this disease.
  • overweight and obesity, a proper diet and exercise help in fighting it,
  • abnormal LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and triglycerides, which obviously require appropriate therapy and maintaining the correct values ​​- with the help of diet and pills.

Age itself is also a risk factor for heart disease, and other risk factors for cardiovascular disease are constant, regardless of age. However, it should be remembered that with age these risk factors “accumulate” and the incidence of each risk factor increases with age. This is due to the fact that throughout our lives we are exposed, on the one hand, to an incorrect lifestyle (smoking or lack of physical activity), but also to the occurrence of many diseases, e.g. hypertension or diabetes.

Important

The accumulation of these risk factors significantly increases the likelihood of heart disease, which is why it is so important, especially in old age, to pay attention to the above-mentioned factors and reduce them by improving your lifestyle and taking medications regularly.

Heart disease is more common in men over 45 and women over 55, but cardiovascular risk is believed to increase dramatically in women only after the age of 70, and in men over 65, then it is them as big. Smoking, on the other hand, accelerates it by 5 years - up to the age of 65 and 60, respectively - which speaks volumes about its impact on the cardiovascular system.By not smoking, you can "rejuvenate" your heart by 5 years!

Coronary heart disease - prevention

Appropriate treatment is essential in the elderlyall diseases, including high blood pressure and diabetes, as this can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. In addition, it is worth regularly measuring blood pressure, blood glucose (blood sugar), and cholesterol tests every 1-2 years. Regarding other cardiovascular examinations, the family doctor or cardiologist will decide, taking into account all risk factors and the medical history of each individual.

Risk factors for other cardiovascular diseases

The above-described "accumulation" of risk factors applies not only to ischemic heart disease, but also to other diseases of the cardiovascular system.

Age, and thus the presence of other diseases, including ischemic heart disease, common in old age, is a risk factor for further cardiological diseases, such as :

  • Atrial fibrillation contributes to the occurrence of this arrhythmia: the aforementioned arterial hypertension, valvular disease, ischemic heart disease, sick sinus syndrome, but also thyroid disease, lung disease, diabetes, kidney disease. All these diseases occur more often in the elderly, which is why atrial fibrillation itself is more common in them, it is estimated that 10% of people over 80 have them. If this arrhythmia is diagnosed, anticoagulant (so-called blood-thinning) treatment is introduced because atrial fibrillation carries a preventable risk of stroke.
  • Diseases of the sinus node, a disease characterized by an inadequate heart rate, too slow for your current needs. Risk factors more common in the elderly are: ischemic heart disease, degeneration related to the aging process, electrolyte disturbances, thyroid disease, and medications used. Treatment usually consists of implanting a pacemaker.
  • Valvular defects:
    1. Aortic valve stenosis, a defect consisting in the reduction of the surface of the aortic opening, making it difficult for blood to flow from the left ventricle to the aorta during heart systole. In modern times, caused by a degenerative process, that is, "wear" of the valve. Currently, it is a disease that occurs practically only in seniors.
    2. Aortic regurgitation, in which blood flows backward from the aorta to the left ventricle due to inadequate valve closure. Its occurrence is favored by rheumatological diseases, but also degeneration progressing with age.
    3. Mitral regurgitation is the retrograde, abnormal flow of blood from the left ventricle toof the left atrium, the causes that occur especially frequently in the elderly are: degenerative changes, valve calcification, rheumatological diseases, ischemic heart disease. The latter may cause the so-called secondary regurgitation resulting from a change in the structure (shape) of the left ventricle.
    4. Defects of the tricuspid valve.

All the above-mentioned heart diseases can lead to heart failure, which is the final stage of many heart diseases.

It is worth knowing that …

… older age favors the occurrence of atherosclerosis, which manifests itself not only as ischemic heart disease, but may also affect, for example, arteries of the lower extremities or cerebral arteries, leading to their ischemia. This, on the one hand, causes leg pain, especially when walking, but often also at night, and if the disease affects the cerebral arteries - dementia, i.e. memory and orientation disorders.

About the authorBow. Maciej GrymuzaA graduate of the Faculty of Medicine at the Medical University of K. Marcinkowski in Poznań. He graduated from university with an over good result. Currently, he is a doctor in the field of cardiology and a doctoral student. He is particularly interested in invasive cardiology and implantable devices (stimulators).

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Category:

Geriatrics