Notes

Five Most Common Diseases of the Elderly
A person’s age and family history play a role in the conditions they might develop, but many of these problems can be prevented with a healthy lifestyle.

Dementia is an aging-related condition that leads to loss of memory and brain function. It can also cause a change in thinking and behavior.
1. Cancer

Cancer is the result of uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells. It can take decades for mutations to accumulate and lead to cancer. Older adults are more susceptible to the disease due to lifestyle choices such as smoking, alcohol consumption, poor diet, excessive sun exposure and unsafe sex.

Lung cancer is the most common type of cancer among elderly adults and can cause chest pain, breathing difficulty, coughing up blood and chronic pneumonia. Bone cancers such as osteosarcoma and sarcoma are the second most common. Other cancers include leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma which are cancers of the blood forming tissues.

Cancer death rates in the oldest old peaked around 1990 and declined until 2008, mainly because of declining rates for lung and prostate cancers (Fig. 1). Rates have since leveled off.
2. Chronic Kidney Disease

In addition to heart disease, chronic kidney disease is one of the biggest health problems for people above 60. It occurs when the kidneys lose their ability to filter blood. If left untreated it can cause many symptoms including fatigue, swollen ankles, confusion and an increase in risk for high blood pressure and heart disease. It may also cause erectile dysfunction in men. Having a low BMI, eating a healthy diet, controlling diabetes and reducing the use of medication can help prevent it.

In the early stages, CKD doesn’t cause any symptoms, so it can go undetected for a long time. It's often only spotted when your doctor orders a urine test for another reason. Having diabetes and high blood pressure increases your chance of getting the condition.
3. Pneumonia

Pneumonia is an infection that causes the air sacs in one or both lungs to fill with pus and fluid. It is caused by bacteria, viruses and sometimes fungi. Infections are more common in people who are hospitalized, elderly and have weakened immune systems.

Symptoms of pneumonia include fever, cough, difficulty breathing and chills. In addition, some older adults have less obvious symptoms, such as confusion or a lower-than-normal body temperature.

Other complications of pneumonia can include a buildup of fluid around the lungs (pleural effusion) and an infected lung abscess. Pleural effusion can develop if the pneumonia isn't treated and can lead to breathing problems or even death. The doctor may need to drain the fluid through a tube or do surgery. They also might order a pleural fluid culture, in which a needle is inserted into the thin membrane that lines the lungs and chest cavity to remove a sample for testing.
4. Heart Disease

Heart disease is the most common cause of death for people age 65 and older. It is caused by the buildup of fatty deposits, called plaque, in the arteries that supply blood to the heart. When this buildup narrows the arteries, the heart can't get enough oxygen and nutrients, which causes pain or discomfort. If the artery becomes completely blocked by a blood clot, it causes a heart attack.

People may not be aware that they have heart disease until they have a heart attack or experience other symptoms, such as shortness of breath, Dr. Forman says. This is because the brain interprets pain signals differently as you age, and sometimes heart pain can be mistaken for pain in your arm or neck. However, some signs of heart disease can be seen with a regular doctor visit.
5. Arthritis

Arthritis is a long-term (chronic) disease that causes pain and swelling in joints. The two most common types of arthritis in elderly adults are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Joints are places where bones meet and move. They're cushioned and supported by a lining called articular cartilage, and some have a lubricating membrane called synovial fluid. Other types of arthritis include gout, lupus and fibromyalgia.

Nearly 60 million adults have arthritis in the United States. It's a major cause of disability in seniors. Despite popular belief, it's not a normal part of aging. It's also more common in people with certain conditions like heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure. Medical Alarms Arthritis is also more likely in women than men. There are more than 100 different types of arthritis.
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