What are the most common diseases and conditions
seniors face as they age?
Medical problems in the elderly can involve any
organ system in the body. Most conditions result from decreased function or
degeneration of the involved organ.
Most commonly encountered medical conditions in
seniors based on organ system are listed below:
Musculoskeletal: osteoarthritis (inflammation of
joints due to wear and tear), osteoporosis (bone loss), gout, loss of muscle
mass, fractures.
Hormonal: Diabetes (impaired control of blood
glucose), menopause, thyroid dysfunction, high blood cholesterol, slower
overall metabolism.
Neurologic: dementia (Alzheimer or other types),
Parkinson's disease, strokes, poor vision, hearing impairment, balance problem.
Visual: macular degeneration, glaucoma, cataracts,
diabetes and hypertension related eye disease.
Cardiovascular disease: heart attacks, congestive
heart failure, irregular heart rhythm (atrial fibrillation), high blood
pressure (hypertension), atherosclerosis (hardening and narrowing of blood
vessels) and peripheral vascular disease or peripheral artery disease (poor
blood flow as a result of narrow blood vessels).
Lungs: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD),
loss of lung volume.
Kidneys: poor kidney function (kidney or renal
disease) from long standing diabetes and hypertension.
Skin and Hair: hair loss, dry skin, itching,
infections.
Cancers: prostate, colon, lung, breast, skin,
bladder, ovary, brain, pancreas, only to name a few.
Bone marrow and immune system: inability to produce
sufficient blood cells (anemia, myelodysplasia).
Gastrointestinal: stomach ulcers, diverticulosis
(small pockets forming in the wall of colon), colon inflammation or colitis
from infection or ischemic (poor blood flow) , swallowing difficulty
(dysphagia) , constipation, bowel incontinence, hemorrhoids.
Urinary: urinary incontinence, urinary urgency,
difficulty urinating.
Oral and dental: gum disease, dry mouth, loss of
teeth, poorly fitting dentures.
Infections: urinary tract infection, pneumonia, skin
infection, shingles, colon infection (diverticulitis, colitis).
Psychiatric: depression, anxiety, sleep disturbance,
insomnia.
General problems: fatigue, general deconditioning,
forgetfulness, medication side effects, diminished appetite, weight loss,
falls.
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