Heart conditions that are more common as you age

As you age, so does every organ in your body. Getting older increases the likelihood of developing a variety of health problems, including heart conditions. Some may be unavoidable, but in many cases, living a heart-healthy lifestyle can help prevent the most common heart conditions that affect the older population.  

1. High blood pressure

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is extremely common, especially as you age. The American Heart Association estimates almost half of all American adults have high blood pressure. They also report 13% of women and 26% of men between the ages of 20 and 34 have high blood pressure. By your mid-70s, these numbers skyrocket to 86% of women and 80% of men.

2. Coronary artery disease

This happens when plaque buildup in the arteries limits blood flow to the heart. Plaque is made of cholesterol, fat and other substances. The condition can develop over your lifetime and lead to serious problems as you age, including chest pain, heart attack and heart failure.

Risk factors for coronary artery disease include:

• Poor cholesterol
• High blood pressure
• Family history
• Obesity
• Diabetes
• Smoking

3. Heart attack

Heart attacks occur when blood flow to the heart is limited or blocked completely. Changes in the heart’s vessels and arteries, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol and coronary artery disease, increase the risk of heart attack as you get older. These risk factors combined with having diabetes, being overweight or obese, or smoking increase the possibility of a heart attack.

4. Stroke

Most strokes occur in people over the age of 75. This is because many of the risk factors that increase the likelihood of stroke are more common the older you are. Strokes occur when a clot or ruptured blood vessel prevents blood flow to the brain. Fortunately, most strokes are preventable by consistently making healthy lifestyle choices.

5. Heart failure

Heart failure can be an isolated condition due to old age, or it can be caused by existing heart conditions, including coronary artery disease and heart attack.

Some signs of heart failure include:

• Shortness of breath
• Fatigue
• Swelling in the feet and ankles
• A persistent cough
• Chest pain

You can help lower your risk of developing these heart conditions by eating a healthy, balanced diet, maintaining a healthy weight, exercising at least five days a week, avoiding smoking and drinking, and reducing stress in your life. Work with your health care provider to monitor and treat any existing health conditions.

Dr. Mohsin Khan is an electrophysiologist at Aurora Health Care.

Want to learn more about your risk for heart disease? Take a free online quiz.