Introduction
High blood pressure is a fairly common health condition for older people. This is due to the fact that age-related changes occur in the blood vessel system or vascular system. One of these changes is the compaction of the arteries, which causes the pressure to rise. Many sources call this disease a “silent killer” since many elderly people may not realize until recently that they have high blood pressure (Kalehoff & Oparil, 2020).
The peculiarity of this disease of the cardiovascular system is the fact that it can occur even in those people who lead a relatively healthy lifestyle.
Blood pressure lies in the force with which blood pushes against the walls of arteries as the heart pumps it. It is measured using two indicators; the first is systolic blood pressure, which is caused by the heart contracting and pushing out blood (Flint et al., 2019). The second indicator is called diastolic blood pressure, which shows the moment when the heart relaxes and fills with blood. A blood pressure reading is given as the systolic blood pressure number over the diastolic blood pressure number. The standard generally accepted indicator of pressure is a systolic pressure of less than 120 and a diastolic pressure of less than 80. Thus, high pressure exceeds these indicators and can reach quite large values, and the higher, the more dangerous. The peculiarity of high blood pressure in the older generation is that the first indicator can exceed 120, while the lower indicator is below 80.
In the absence of taking measures, high blood pressure can cause even more severe abnormalities associated with the cardiovascular system. It is in this factor that the main threat of this disease manifests itself. Examples of issues related to the health of the cardiovascular system can be heart disease and stroke, vascular dementia, eye problems, and kidney disease. However, it is worth remembering that all these deviations occur only if specific rules are not followed, which will help prevent them.
Overview of the cardiovascular system in older adults
With aging, people experience multiple changes in such components of the cardiovascular system as the myocardium, the cardiac conduction system, and the endocardium. One of the main characteristics that occur during aging in the cardiovascular system are including a loss of elasticity, fibrotic changes in the valves of the heart, and infiltration with amyloid. Moreover, the ability of the cardiac system to pump blood through veins and arteries is reduced due to the variety of changes in the structure and function of the heart muscle.
Thus, the first thing to discuss is changes in the structure and work of the cardiac system. The main problem that occurs with aging and can cause problems with high blood pressure and other diseases is a fibrous tissue and fat deposits in the channels of the cardiovascular system. The natural pacemaker loses some of its cells, which can affect the reduction of cardiac contractions, that is, the reduction of strokes. Another feature is the increase in the size of the heart, especially the left ventricle. The heart wall thickens, and the volume of blood that can be held may decrease despite the increase in heart size. Moreover, normal changes in the heart include deposits of the aging pigment called lipofuscin and the heart muscle cells degenerate slightly.
The next important aspect that changes in the cardiovascular system with aging is the transformation of blood vessels. Such important cells as baroreceptors lose their sensitivity, thereby losing their ability to control and organize blood pressure and make changes to help maintain blood pressure. This is also one of the reasons for the predisposition of the older generation to high blood pressure. Moreover, many people have a feeling of dizziness because there is less blood flow to the brain. In addition, blood capillary walls are compacted, which can provoke a slightly slower rate of exchange of nutrients and wastes (Figure 1). In addition, the most important artery in the human body, called the aorta, also becomes thicker, stiffer and less flexible. This is probably due to changes in the connective tissue of the blood vessel wall. This increases blood pressure and significantly increases and complicates the work of the cardiovascular system, especially the environment, which can lead to the thickening of the heart muscle. Other arteries also thicken and thicken. In general, most elderly people have a moderate increase in blood pressure.
The last major component of the cardiovascular system that is undergoing changes is blood. This can be triggered by a reduction in the amount of water in the human body, which reduces the fluid in the bloodstream, so blood volume decreases. Moreover, the speed of red blood cells and their number also suffer, which is very serious since these cells are responsible for fighting stress or illness is reduced. A decrease in their performance also affects a slower response to blood loss and anemia. Otherwise, most of the blood cells remain in the same amount, although certain white blood cells decrease in number and ability to fight off bacteria and maintain human immunity.
Changes in the myocardium
One of the main features of myocardial changes in old age is a decrease in myocardial contractility. The reason for this is the increasing detrimental effect of cardiosclerosis, dystrophy of muscle fibers, or an increase in the content of connective tissue. Moreover, factors such as myocardial rigidity and interstitial asymmetry also contribute to this process, which leads to frequent rhythm and conduction disturbances in the elderly population.
There is also a decrease in the activity of the sinus node, which affects the fact that along with the slowing of the heart rate, the severity of respiratory arrhythmia decreases with age. In addition, the maximum heart rate increase range during physical exertion is limited. It is also in a relationship with the functional state of the sinus node. Another change is that after people reach the age of sixty, degenerative changes occur in the myocardium, in the cells of the atrioventricular junction, in the fibers of the common trunk and especially in the left leg of the Gis bundle.
Other features that occur due to aging of the body are associated with the malleability of the heart muscle. In the case of the left ventricle, there is an increase in the load on the atria. This may affect the occurrence of atrial hypertrophy. All four heart valves increase in circumference over time; the aortic valve undergoes the greatest changes. Calcifying deposits are often present, which also adversely affect the functioning of the cardiovascular system (Rutkovskiy et al., 2017).
Electrocardiogram Changes
Age-related changes in the heart often lead to changes in the electrocardiogram. Abnormal rhythms or arrhythmias, such as atrial fibrillation, are more common in the elderly. Statistically, it is noted that all these problems are observed in elderly representatives of the world’s population. In elderly women, ischemic symptoms are often observed, which represent myocardial ischemia. These deviations cause problems such as shortness of breath, fatigue, dizziness, as well as confusion and impaired cognitive functions.
Heart Failure
Another health threat that may arise due to age-related changes in the elderly is an increased risk of heart failure. It is a violation of the heart when it does not pump blood as efficiently as it should. Because of this, there is a lack of oxygen and nutrients. Elderly patients suffering from this deviation often have concomitant diseases, which, as well as a physical decrease in the management of the cardiovascular system, can cause this deviation. Early signs of heart failure in the elderly include shortness of breath, fatigue, lack of appetite, persistent cough, lack of appetite and nausea (“What you need to know about heart failure treatment for the elderly”, 2020). On the psychological side, there may be manifestations of depressive disorder and mental retardation.
Conclusion
Thus, the cardiovascular system of the elderly is experiencing many changes in the aging process. The most crucial factor, in this case, is the constant monitoring of the situation by a medical specialist to avoid diseases such as heart failure or high blood pressure. The latter is especially dangerous, as it can occur without visible symptoms. Moreover, there are risk factors for cardiovascular diseases that can be controlled. They include high blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, and obesity. In addition, it is vital to adhere to a healthy lifestyle and follow the doctor’s recommendations in order to maintain health for as long as possible.
References
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Kalehoff, J. P., & Oparil, S. (2020). The story of the silent killer. Current Hypertension Reports, 22(9), 1-14. Web.
Krumholz, H. M., Normand, S. L. T., & Wang, Y. (2019). Twenty-year trends in outcomes for older adults with acute myocardial infarction in the United States.JAMA Network Open, 2(3), e191938-e191938. Web.
Rutkovskiy, A., Malashicheva, A., Sullivan, G., Bogdanova, M., Kostareva, A., Stensløkken, K. O.,… & Vaage, J. (2017). Valve interstitial cells: the key to understanding the pathophysiology of heart valve calcification. Journal of the American Heart Association, 6(9), e006339. Web.
What you need to know about heart failure treatment for the elderly. (2020). Baptist Health. Web.