Aging Changes in the Heart and Blood Vessels

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Common problems

• Heart and blood vessel diseases are fairly common in older people. Common disorders include high blood pressure and orthostatic hypotension.
• Arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) is very common. Fatty plaque deposits inside the blood vessels cause it to narrow and can totally block blood vessels.
• Coronary artery disease is fairly common.
• Angina (chest pain caused by temporarily reduced blood flow to the heart muscle), shortness of breath with exertion and heart attack can result from coronary artery disease.
• Abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias) of various types can occur.
• Heart failure is very common in the elderly. In people older than 75, heart failure occurs 10 times more often than in younger adults.
• Valve diseases are fairly common. Aortic stenosis, or narrowing of the aortic valve is the most common valve disease in the elderly.
• Anemia may occur, possibly related to malnutrition, chronic infections, blood loss from the gastrointestinal tract, or as a complication of other diseases or medications.
• Transient ischemic attacks (TIA) or strokes can occur if blood flow to the brain is disrupted.

Other problems with the heart and blood vessels include the following:

• Peripheral vascular disease, resulting in claudication (intermittent pain in the legs with walking)
• Varicose veins
• Blood clots
  • Thrombophlebitis
  • Deep vein thrombosis