Around 26 million people in India have at least one long-term medical condition. This includes almost 50% of people aged 65 to 74 and almost two-thirds of people aged 85 and older. Furthermore, the aging of the Indian population means these numbers will only increase in the years to come. Experts predict that by 2030, around seven million older people will have at least one long-term illness or health problem.
Common Medical Conditions in the Elderly
Advances in healthcare have helped people to live longer than ever before. As a result, medical conditions have become a more common part of life for older people. Fortunately, there is more support than ever for people living with the most common health problems. We all must understand the most common medical conditions so that we can recognize the symptoms and get medical help when we need it. In addition, we need to understand how we can prevent common diseases and how to live with them.
Arthritis
Arthritis is one of the most common diseases in the elderly, affecting millions of people. It causes pain and inflammation in the joints, which can limit your movement. There are two main types of arthritis:
- Osteoarthritis and
- Rheumatoid arthritis.
Osteoarthritis is more common in older people. This is because osteoarthritis is caused by wear and tear; because the older we get, the more stress we put on our joints.
In contrast, rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the lining of the joints.
Symptoms of arthritis include:
- Joint pain, tenderness, and stiffness
- Limited movement
- Swelling in and around the joints
Asthma
Asthma occurs when the body’s airways become sensitive to allergens and become inflamed. This inflammation can cause a frightening and painful asthma attack, which causes the muscles in your airways to tighten and narrow, making it difficult to breathe. Most people can control their asthma very well with the right medication. However, uncontrolled asthma can be fatal.
Asthma symptoms
Symptoms of asthma include:
- Coughing
- Chest tightness
- Shortness of breath
Cancer
There are more than 200 types of cancer including breast cancer, prostate cancer, and lung cancer. Cancer is a disease in which cells in the body multiply abnormally, forming a mass known as a tumor. These abnormal cells multiply, causing the tumor to grow or cancer cells to spread through the bloodstream.
Cancer symptoms
Here are some common cancer symptoms to look out for:
- Finding an unexpected lump
- Unexplained weight loss
- Unexplained blood in your stool, urine, coughing, or vomiting
- Smoking and tobacco are the main causes of cancer.
Coronary Heart Disease
Coronary heart disease (CHD) occurs when fatty substances build up in the arteries and block the blood supply to the heart.
Certain lifestyle choices and other medical conditions can cause CHD.
Risk factors include:
- Smoking high cholesterol
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Obesity
Diabetes
Older people are prone to developing diabetes. Diabetes is a lifelong condition that occurs when the body doesn’t have enough insulin. This could be due low amounts of insulin in the body, or because the body is resistant to the insulin. Diabetes affects almost half of the elderly population.
Type 2 is the most common form of diabetes, affecting approximately 90% of diabetics. Type 2 diabetes is a growing disease among older people. One in ten people over the age of 40 is now living with the disease.
Hypertension
Hypertension or high blood pressure is one of the most common diseases faced by elderly people. More than one in four adults suffers from high blood pressure. But many people don’t even realize it. The only way to know you have high blood pressure is to have your blood pressure checked. It is therefore very important that you have regular check-ups with your family doctor, especially if you belong to a risk group.
Symptoms of High Blood Pressure
Symptoms of hypersensitivity include severe headache and anxiety, chest pain, and irregular heartbeat. High blood pressure puts significant pressure on blood vessels, the heart, and other vital organs such as the kidneys. Over time, high blood pressure damages the lining of the blood vessels, causing the arteries to harden and narrow, restricting blood flow. As a result, blood flows to the penis decreases. This decreased blood flow makes it difficult to get and keep erections.
People with high blood pressure are at higher risk of the following medical conditions:
- Heart Disease
- Heart Attacks
- Kidney Disease
- Vascular dementia
- Stroke
- Heart failure
- Erectile Dysfunction (Cenforce, Fildena, Vidalista)
Here are some ways to control high blood pressure:
- Watch your diet: Avoid foods high in saturated fat and sugar.
- Replace them with fruits and vegetables.
- Live an active lifestyle – get more exercise into your day.
- Walk regularly and jog when you can.
- If you develop erectile dysfunction due to hypertension, you can take ED medications like Cenforce 150 or Vidalista 60, which are proven to be very effective. Make sure to consult a doctor before taking the medicine.
- Quit smoking – Nicotine raises your blood pressure and heart rate can be bad for your health.