Heart conditions or cardiovascular diseases are highly prevalent among elderly individuals and are considered a leading cause of mortality among individuals over 65 years. However, most causes of coronary conditions are associated with high-risk lifestyle behaviors that individuals can choose to avoid. Heart diseases can result in severe illness and diminished body functions. Therefore, it is critical to investigate reliable solutions to prevent their high incidence and prevalence rates.
Heart diseases can result from both modifiable and non-modifiable factors. Some risk behaviors for heart conditions include smoking tobacco, sedentary activities, poor dieting and intake of high cholesterol, diabetes, high blood pressure, depression, and stress (Bansode, 2020). In addition, coronary illnesses can arise from the effects of obesity or a family history of heart conditions. In the elderly, heart disease might result from aging muscles with diminished ability to perform their functions (Mortensen et al., 2019). As a result, these diseases may cause pathological changes including wear and tear of heart muscles, reduced functioning of the veins, nerves, and blood capillaries, and reduced circulatory system efficiency (Omote et al., 2022). Moreover, it makes individuals more susceptible to strokes and coronary hazards.
The most effective solution to dealing with heart disease is taking preventive actions against its modifiable risks. Therefore, it is advisable to champion good lifestyle behaviors such as regular exercise, healthy dieting, and regulating cholesterol intake. In addition, elderly individuals should investigate and seek information from family members about their medical histories as it can encourage them to adopt better habits and live healthily (Bansode, 2020). Heart diseases are a major cause of mortality among the elderly. Therefore, it is vital to counter its high incidence and prevalence by prioritizing prevention and sensitizing individuals on the benefits of healthy living.
References
Bansode, S. (2020). Causes of heart disease. Archivos de medicina, 16(4), 8. Web.
Mortensen, M. B., Fuster, V., Muntendam, P., Mehran, R., Baber, U., Sartori, S., & Falk, E. (2019). Negative risk markers for cardiovascular events in the elderly. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 74(1), 1-11.
Omote, K., Sorimachi, H., Obokata, M., Reddy, Y. N., Verbrugge, F. H., Omar, M.,… & Borlaug, B. A. (2022). Pulmonary vascular disease in pulmonary hypertension due to left heart disease: pathophysiologic implications. European Heart Journal, 43(36), 3417-3431.