Common Health Challenges of Aged People

Introduction:

Almost ten percent of the world's population is elderly, and by 2050, the number of elderly people in the world will double. As a result, the health problems associated with the elderly population hold a significant role in modern medicinal practice. Understanding the common health issues associated with aged individuals is necessary to combat the health issues of adults.

What Are the Causes of Common Health Problems in Adults?

The common health issues of adults are associated with age-related changes in the body. These changes are;

1. Oxidative Damage: Oxidative damage to the tissue is the main causative factor for aging. The formation of reactive oxygen species causes cell death and damage. Molecules like hydroxyl radical and hydrogen peroxide form these reactive oxygen species. Excessive production of these molecules destroys cells and cellular membranes.

2. General Wear-And-Tear and Genetic Instability: According to this process, repeated injury to organs and organelles is responsible for aging. Such kinds of tissue injuries are responsible for regressive changes in the tissue. Damage to the DNA structure is one of the most important factors in this process.

3. Mitochondrial Genome Damage: Metabolic changes are one of the main common factors seen in aging. These metabolic changes are mainly caused by mitochondria damage. The mutation rate of mitochondria is much faster than the mutation of DNA. These mutations cause defective functioning of mitochondria. As a result, energy production is altered, and reactive oxygen species are produced.

4. Telomere Shortening: Telomeres are present at the end of chromosomes and are made up of DNA sequences. This portion of the chromosomes is responsible for DNA degradation, recombination, and DNA end fusions. However, during cell division, the telomerase adds the telomere onto the chromosome. During this process, the telomeres become shorter and lose a small amount of DNA. As a result, defective cell functioning is observed.

5. Neuroendocrine Changes: According to this process, aging is caused by dysregulation of hormonal activity. Dysregulation in hormonal activity is responsible for altered activity of the hypothalamus-pituitary axis (HPA). This disrupts the functioning of several organs and different cellular types. These changes cause cell death and changes in the functioning of the cells.

6. Waste Product Accumulation: Accumulation of waste products due to metabolic activity is one of the main causes of aging. These metabolic products are lipofuscin and advanced glycation end products. These byproducts are formed by oxidative damage and lysosomal dysfunction. Advanced glycation end products such as methylglyoxal and glyoxal are responsible for affecting the functioning of biological molecules like collagen,

myelin, fibrinogen, tubulin, and plasminogen activator.

What Are the Risk Factors for Common Challenges in the Elderly?

Apart from aging changes, several risk factors are responsible for common health issues in elderly people. These factors are;

1. Altered Immunity: Changes in the immune system are responsible for repeated infections in elderly people. DNA damage is responsible for the altered functioning of the T-cells. Bone marrow damage causes less production of white blood cells. Also, hormonal changes cause reduced production of lymphocytes.

2. Habits: Habits like smoking, alcoholism, and chewing tobacco may cause health issues. Exposure to carcinogens of smoke is related to lung diseases and cancers. Alcohol causes liver disorders and gastrointestinal problems.

3. Food Habits and Nutrition: Nutritional status is associated with the physical well-being of the body. Nutritional deficiency causes problems like anemia, reduction in the blood cells, and neural damage. Consumption of excessive fatty food causes an elevation of lipid levels in the body. This increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases in the body. Excessive red meat consumption is linked to gastrointestinal disorders.

4. Ethnicity: Racial factors, genetic susceptibility, and ethnicity are associated with the development of certain age-related disorders in certain populations.

5. Psychological Factors: Psychological well-being is necessary for mental and psychological well-being. Factors like stress, trauma, and anxiety lead to psychological disorders.

What Are the Health Challenges of Elderly People?

The health challenges faced by several people may affect elderly people. This may affect several people.

1. Cardiovascular Changes:

Cardiac changes are the most common changes seen in the body. In elderly people, a change in cardiac output and cardiac index is observed. The cardiac output of an 80-year-old person is almost half that of a young person. Increased age causes decreased functionality of the cardiac muscles. Fibrosis of the lungs due to aging is also an important age-related cardiac change. Apart from this, aging causes amyloid deposition in the various portions of the heart. Increased afterload in the heart is associated with shape changes in the heart.

Changes in the blood vessels are responsible for blood vessel disorders and cardiovascular disorders. Increasing age is responsible for the loss of elasticity of the blood vessels. Such changes are accompanied by thickening of the walls of arteries and deposition of collagen in the middle layer of the blood vessels. This is one of the main reasons for increased blood pressure with increasing age. Almost 50 percent of the world's population above the age of 65 suffer from hypertension.

2. Lung Changes:

Elderly individuals experience a decline in lung capacity. Also, older people experience a decrease in total lung volume capacity and a change in the ratio of residual volume to total lung capacity. The alveolar epithelium undergoes morphological changes, leading to a mismatch between ventilation and perfusion. Factors such as lung disorders, poor ventilation, limited air exchange in the alveoli, reduced mucociliary transport, weakened cough reflex, and decreased alveolar elasticity contribute to an increased susceptibility to lung infections. Chronic lung disorders, such as emphysema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorders, can lead to right-sided heart failure.

3. Eye Changes:

Increasing eye changes cause a reduction in the visual fields. Changes in the curvature of the cornea cause a change in the refraction in the elderly, along with these changes in the corneal luster and corneal sensitivity. Neurological changes in the retina cause a decrease in the ganglion cells and optic nerve axons. These changes lead to a decline in the sensitivity of the visual field and contrast sensitivity.

4. Kidney Changes:

In elderly people, a reduction in the weight and volume of kidneys is observed. This is caused by a reduction in the number of glomeruli in the kidney. A change in the tabular function causes dehydration and hyponatremia (a low concentration of urine in the body) in the body.

5. Neural Changes: The neural changes in elderly people are caused by degenerative changes in the neurons. As a result, slow conduction of the nerve impulse and a change in the levels of neurotransmitters can be seen. Also, a reduction in the gray and white matter of the brain causes a reduction in brain functioning.

Conclusion:

Aging causes numerous physiological changes in the human body. Factors like food habits, habits, and ethnicity also influence such changes. These factors cause changes in the various organs. Age-related changes in the body cause disorders like hypertension, cardiac problems, lung disorders, and eye problems.