At the biological level, the process of aging normally results from the impact of the accumulation of various molecular and cellular damage with time. This results in a decline in mental and physical capacity, with an increased risk of health problems and ultimately death. Some of the common health complications reported among the elderly include cardiovascular diseases, hearing loss, back and neck pain, cataracts and refractive errors, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, dementia, depression, and diabetes among others (Zhang et al., 2018). Old age is also associated with the emergence of numerous complex health statuses commonly referred to as a geriatric syndrome. However, with advanced technology, the healthcare system has been able to come up with appropriate interventions to help promote the health and well-being of older people. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate how cardiovascular diseases affected the elderly, in addition to the proposed solution to help address this health issue.
Older adults above 65 years are at higher risk of developing cardiovascular diseases as compared to younger people. According to the CDC, 14.2% of adults above the age of 45 years were diagnosed with coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke, or both last year (Colpani et al., 2018). Additionally, heart disease has been reported as the leading cause of death among the elderly for over a century. The increased risk of cardiovascular diseases among the elderly is associated with several factors including the impact of the aging process on the cardiovascular system. For instance, increased left ventricular wall thickness with age is associated with an increase in blood pressure (Zhang et al., 2018). Consequently, reduced physical functioning with age also promotes inactivity which is one of the main risks factors for heart disease. However, several screening tools and management strategies have been developed to promote early diagnosis and treatment.
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According to the American Heart Association, the main mitigating strategy to reduce the burden associated with cardiovascular diseases among the elderly is through the adoption of a healthy lifestyle. Gondoni et al. (2021) suggest that older adults must try to be more physically active, quit smoking, keep a healthy weight, follow a heart-healthy diet, manage stress, and frequently monitor their blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Several treatment options have also been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the management of a wide range of patients with different types of cardiovascular diseases such as heart failure. Colpani et al. (2018) confirm in their study the need for patients to adhere to the treatment guidelines and adopt self-care behavior to promote positive care outcomes. Controlling hypertension among the elderly should be well initiated before the patient starts showing signs.
It should be well acknowledged in the community that solutions for preventing heart disease among the elderly need to be part of the public policy. As such, it is important to consider public health approaches that focus on systems, policy, and environmental changes to facilitate the prevention of heart diseases by producing sustainable improvement in the social and physical environment promoting choices, accessibility, availability, resources, and information for health behavior (Altavilla et al., 2018). Currently, several policy-level approaches have been implemented successfully, with a positive outcome such as the tobacco- and alcohol-use laws. Consequently, at the state and local level, policies aiming at reducing the concentration of sodium in restaurants and processed foods have also been proposed. These policies will help promote healthy diets, food choices, and increase awareness to prevent heart diseases among elderly people.
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Several challenges hinder the appropriate implementation of the above-stated solutions to help promote the health and well-being of the elderly and reduce the burden associated with cardiovascular disease. One main challenge is knowledge deficit. Most elderly people are usually less informed concerning appropriate lifestyle modification to prevent heart disease. Ignorance promotes poor decision-making. Another challenge is the fact that most el
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