common health issues

 Top 10 health risks for seniors

The top ten health crises for seniors are the biggest crises for seniors. They can affect their quality of life at least, or threaten their lives at worst. What health problems are most likely to occur in the elderly? How to prevent and maintain health care through daily life, diet and exercise? Let’s read this report to analyze it one by one for you.

Health problems are the biggest source of stress for the elderly. Even normal aging phenomena can affect daily life, such as the decline of vision and hearing. What’s more, most elderly people are also suffering from diseases. Aging and diseases are often intertwined into more serious functions. decline.

Various chronic diseases are the most common health problems for the elderly. 75% of the elderly in Taiwan suffer from at least one chronic disease, and more than half of the elderly suffer from two or more chronic diseases at the same time.

This type of chronic disease is characterized by a long incubation period, and the causative factors may be present at a young age. The symptoms gradually worsen after 3 to 5 years, or even more than 10 years, because the patient usually feels nothing during the development of the disease. , it is easier to ignore the existence of the condition.

Crisis 1. Diabetes

Epidemiological surveys at home and abroad have confirmed that the prevalence of diabetes increases with age. The prevalence of diabetes among people over 65 years old is about 20%, and most elderly people do not know that they have diabetes because most elderly people with diabetes have no symptoms when they develop diabetes, and diabetes is usually discovered during a health checkup or due to other diseases.

The impact of diabetes on health is comprehensive, and the most common complications include: retinopathy (the main factor leading to blindness in adults), nephropathy, and cardiovascular disease. Compared with people of the same age group, elderly diabetic patients have a higher prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors, such as hypertension, obesity, and hyperlipidemia. Elderly diabetic patients with these risk factors are also more likely to develop vascular disease. The mortality rate of elderly people with diabetes is 2.5 times higher than that of the same age group, and 70% of them die from cardiovascular disease. The incidence rate of elderly people with diabetes is also 2 to 3 times higher than that of the same age group.

Crisis 2. High blood pressure

Blood pressure increases with age, and it rises significantly after the age of 40 for men and 35 for women. The increase in diastolic blood pressure with age is less obvious, but it begins to rise after the age of 30 and tends to slow down by the age of 55. According to the standards of the World Health Organization, high blood pressure is defined as systolic blood pressure above 160mmHg and diastolic blood pressure above 95mmHg.

Many elderly people have high blood pressure, and because it is so common, it is often considered not a serious problem. However, among the top ten causes of death, diseases directly or closely related to hypertension account for half, including: cerebrovascular disease, heart disease, hypertensive disease, diabetes and kidney disease.

Crisis 3. Hyperlipidemia

Abnormal blood cholesterol levels, commonly known as "blood turbidity", are mostly related to diet, and in rare cases are caused by genetic genes.

Cholesterol levels that are too high, especially LDL (bad cholesterol), can easily penetrate into the blood vessel walls and form atherosclerosis. According to recent large-scale epidemiological and prospective studies, every 1 mg/dl increase in total blood cholesterol levels increases the risk of coronary heart disease by 2%. As long as cholesterol is lowered, cardiovascular diseases can be reduced by 1/3 and strokes can also be prevented.

Crisis 4. Heart disease

The above three common chronic diseases in the elderly are also risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

Heart disease is the third among the top ten causes of death in the country, but if related diseases (such as stroke, hypertension, etc.) are combined, it will definitely surpass malignant tumors and become the number one killer. Statistics show that 75% of the elderly die from heart disease, of which hypertensive heart disease and coronary heart disease are the most common. The transition between autumn and winter is a dangerous time for heart attacks, so special attention should be paid.

For the four diseases related to the above, in addition to taking medicine according to the doctor's instructions when necessary, special attention should be paid to the content of the diet in daily health care, and the intake of starches, fats and salts should be controlled.

Crisis 5. Degenerative arthritis

The joints of the elderly can often predict "weather changes"! When the weather turns from sunny to overcast and the air pressure suddenly drops, the joints will become swollen and inflamed, causing pain. It is most common in joints that bear a lot of weight, such as the knees and hips (hip joints). There will be obvious pain and even joint deformation.

Aging or obesity are the main causes of the disease. People who have been injured in the joints or engaged in heavy work are also prone to degenerative arthritis. Proper exercise can increase the flow of synovial fluid in joints, strengthen the toughness of muscles and tendons, and increase physical fitness. If you are afraid of pain and dare not move, it will cause joint stiffness and atrophy. Doctors said that pain can be controlled with medication, but it is up to the patient to exercise. In addition, weight should be controlled to avoid increasing the burden on the joints.

Patients can usually use kneepads, wristbands, gloves, and wool socks to keep warm. When they feel stiff, they can soak in hot water. If the weather is too humid, they need to use a dehumidifier.

Crisis 6. Osteoporosis

The Hokkien word "old shrinkage" is actually the cause of "osteoporosis". According to Taiwan epidemiological survey statistics in the past ten years, it was found that 19% of Taiwanese urban women over the age of 65 have had more than one spinal compression fracture, and 12% of men. Patients with osteoporosis do not have any warning at all. The first symptom is often a fracture, especially the most serious fractures of the spine and hip.

Patients over 65 years old are prone to hip fractures. The mortality rate within one year is 15%, which is higher than the mortality rate in the first year of bone cancer. The main causes of death are infection and liver and kidney failure caused by long-term bed rest. .

Before the age of 35, you need to supplement more calcium to store bones. After this golden period, you can only avoid bone loss. You still need to take in enough calcium every day to make up for it. People with exercise habits can also slow down bone loss. drain.

Crisis 7. Insomnia

The rate of insomnia among people over 65 years old is five to six times that of young people. In addition to physical illness, most of the causes of insomnia are psychological problems, such as widowhood, absence of children, worries about financial problems, etc. Many people mistakenly think that it is normal for the elderly to sleep less. In fact, the elderly need to sleep at least six hours a day.

If the elderly have sleep problems, they should first consider whether it is affected by diseases, drugs and other factors, and then analyze their daily habits. For example, do they sleep too much doing nothing during the day? Do you like strong tea or coffee?

If necessary, medication can effectively solve sleep problems, but it should be used under the guidance of a physician and avoid taking medication casually.

Crisis 8. Gastrointestinal disorders

Although gastrointestinal problems are not as life-threatening as cardiovascular or respiratory problems, their symptoms often trouble the elderly. The most common problems include indigestion, gas, constipation, etc.

Constipation is very common in the elderly, with some statistics being as high as five times that of younger people. The reason is related to the slowdown of intestinal peristalsis and insufficient fiber intake in the elderly. Drugs commonly used by the elderly, such as antidepressants, antacids, diuretics, etc., may also affect intestinal activity and cause constipation. In addition to replenishing water and eating more fiber, massaging your abdomen with your palms can also help stimulate intestinal peristalsis.

Crisis 9. Vision loss

"Blurry vision" is a symbol of old age. Common eye problems among the elderly include presbyopia, cataracts, glaucoma, floaters and age-related macular degeneration, among which glaucoma and macular degeneration have the greatest impact.

Chronic glaucoma will quietly erode the optic nerve. When vision decreases, less than 10% of the optic nerve is left. The most important thing is to measure intraocular pressure and vision regularly every year.

Most people often ignore the harm of ultraviolet rays to vision, especially in Taiwan where the sun is strong. Sunglasses that can block ultraviolet rays should be worn. At the same time, supplement vitamins C, E, and fruits and vegetables rich in lutein such as citrus.

Crisis 10. Accidental injury

Falls are the most common accidental injuries among the elderly in outpatient clinics. In the United States, the probability of falls among elderly people over 65 years old living alone is as high as 30%. Elderly people's falls can be major or minor. In severe cases, they may even be bedridden and lose their ability to live.

Many elderly people have accidents at home, so when it comes to space planning, you should pay attention to whether the floor is flat and not undulating or too smooth. Non-slip materials should be used in the bathroom, handrails should be installed, and furniture with rounded corners should be used as much as possible.

Health care tips for seniors

Because they suffer from more than one disease at the same time, the elderly often become medicine users. According to U.S. statistics, most elderly people use three to five or more medicines at the same time. This does not include general patent medicines and herbal medicines. Medications for the elderly must be chosen carefully. If several different drugs are taken at the same time, attention should be paid to adverse drug interactions.

How to enjoy a high-quality elderly life? In this regard, Dr. Li Shishi said that in the face of various changes in physiological conditions that occur with age, good health management and not being hampered by disease is the first priority for happy elderly people.