Age, family genetics, and gender make it nearly impossible for older adults to avoid becoming a chronic disease statistic.
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Eighty percent of adults 65 and older have at least one condition, while 68% have two or more. You probably have a parent or grandparent who is managing a condition right now, or perhaps you are managing one yourself. |
With these kinds of odds, you might wonder if there is even anything you can do to prevent the onset of a condition, or make managing an existing condition easier. The answer is yes. Here are ten common chronic conditions adults 65+ on Medicare were treated for in 2015, and what you should know about each.
In the ensuing weeks, we will look at each of these conditions and report viable treatments for each.
We'll start with the most common- High Blood Pressure.
Hypertension (high blood pressure)
58% of older adults were treated for hypertension – a common condition that involves both how much blood your heart pumps, as well as how resistant your arteries are to the blood flow. When your heart pumps a lot of blood, and you have narrow arteries which resist the flow, that’s when you get high blood pressure, also known as hypertension. The danger of hypertension is not only that you can have it for years and not know it, but it can cause other serious health conditions, like stroke and heart attacks.
Things you can do to try to prevent, or reduce, high blood pressure include:
- Maintaining a healthy weight. Losing just ten pounds can reduce blood pressure
- Regulate your stress levels
- Limit salt and alcohol consumption
- Exercise daily, including a combination of moderate to vigorous-intensity aerobic activities, flexibility and stretching, and muscle strengthening
- Check your blood pressure regularly—the quicker you catch pre-hypertension, the more likely you are to prevent high blood pressure
from NCOA
