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What Are the Most Common Diseases in the Elderly?
Age, family genetics and lifestyle choices can make seniors more susceptible to certain illnesses and diseases. Having a strong understanding of these diseases and knowing the early warning signs can help them stay healthy and avoid serious consequences.

High blood pressure is a common chronic disease in older adults. This is due to the body's natural aging process and poor diet choices.
Cancer

Cancer is a disease that occurs when cells grow out of control and spread to other parts of the body. Normally, body cells grow, divide and then die when they’re done doing their job. Sometimes cancerous cells begin to multiply too fast or don’t die when they should, forming a mass of tissue called a tumor. Cancer can start in any cell of the body and can be found in almost all organs.

Usually, cancers that occur in glands and organs that secrete substances are called carcinomas, while cancers that occur in supportive tissues and connective tissues are known as sarcomas. Benign tumors tend to grow slowly and don’t threaten life but can cause problems if they’re large or pressing on other structures like bones.

Poor lifestyle choices, age-related conditions and other factors can make seniors more prone to certain illnesses and diseases. However, many of these can be prevented by staying healthy and making good lifestyle decisions.
Chronic Kidney Disease

Chronic kidney disease is a long-term condition that occurs when the kidneys can no longer filter blood effectively. Some of the most common forms include glomerulonephritis, polycystic kidney disease, and membranous nephropathy. The problem is that there are few early symptoms and the disease progresses slowly over time.

Personal Alarms NZ High blood pressure is a big issue in seniors, especially those living in long-term care facilities. It can cause a build-up of fatty deposits in the blood vessels and increase the risk of heart disease.

Arthritis is another condition that’s very common in the elderly, particularly osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. It causes joint pain and chronic inflammation. Other common conditions for older adults include heart disease (which can lead to a stroke or heart attack) diabetes, and epilepsy. It’s important for these patients to take regular medications for these conditions. Other warning signs of these illnesses include a cough that doesn’t go away, or confusion and memory loss.
Osteoporosis

With normal aging, your bone strength decreases and new bone growth slows down. But in people with osteoporosis, bone loss accelerates and bones become weaker. This leads to fractures, especially in the hip, spine and wrist. Some people with osteoporosis experience back pain or a curved, stooped spine known as a "widow's hump."

Osteoporosis is more common in women than men. This is partly because women have lower peak bone mass and thinner bones. But age and some genetic traits increase the risk of osteoporosis.

Other conditions that may occur more often in older adults include cardiovascular disease, respiratory diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), type 2 diabetes, depression, arthritis and dementia. Often, elderly people develop several of these conditions at the same time. These complex health states are called geriatric syndromes and they include symptoms like urinary tract infections (UTIs), frailty, delirium and pressure ulcers. They can lead to social isolation, hospitalization and even death.
Shingles

Shingles is a painful skin infection caused by the varicella-zoster virus (the same one that causes chickenpox). It typically shows as a stripe of blisters that wraps around the left or right side of the torso, but it can occur anywhere. When the rash occurs near the eye, it may lead to permanent eye damage.

The most common complication of shingles is postherpetic neuralgia, or PHN—pain that lasts for months or even years in the area served by affected nerves. More serious complications include brain or spinal cord inflammation, resulting in encephalitis or meningitis. Shingles can be prevented by getting the vaccine SHINGRIX, which is recommended for people over 50.

High blood pressure, known as HBP or hypertension, is another common health concern for seniors, especially those living in long-term care facilities. It can damage blood vessels, which increases the risk for heart disease. Watch out for classic symptoms like headaches, fatigue or dizziness.
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