ElderThink

Heart Disease

woman holding her chest

We Know More About Old Hearts

Gretchen Heuring | February 6, 2017

Only a few years ago, the medical community believed that the aging heart became smaller and less able after age 65. This was thought to be a natural part of the aging process. Now we know this is not true for a healthy heart. Even so, more than 65% of the deaths occuring from Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) are in people age 75 and older.

Researchers have learned that regular exercise and a healthy diet can keep the heart strong for many more years than we ever believed possible.

Certainly the heart ages along with the rest of our bodies but it is capable of adapting itself to age-related changes if we take care.

Here's the test. If you can move and carry your body well, you have little excess fat, your muscles work smoothly and your balance is good, then your heart is most likely healthy and strong. If you don't pass this test, you know what to do.

People with healthy bodies still can get heart disease, though. Researchers are only beginning to understand why. Chances are higher if there is a history of heart disease in the family.

Read what our own quirky Ella Traver has to say about "Being Healthy."

Types and of Heart Disease

Some people have heart disease with no symptoms, but chest pain, shortness of breath and fatigue are the most common. It's possible to have just one or two of these major symptoms, or none at all. So as we age, regular checkup are important for continued healthy living. Heart disease can sneak up on us. Two of the biggest precursors are hypertension and arteriosclerosis. Both of these can be prevented and overcome by a healthy diet and plenty of huff and puff exercise.

Hypertension (High Blood Pressure) is especially common among older people. Learn More

Arteriosclerosis means our arteries are clogging up. Some changes are needed. Learn More

Arrhythmia (Palpitations) comes in many forms. The heart can beat too slow or too fast. Learn More

Heart Valve Disease can involve closed, leaky or bulging valves. Learn More

Depression often accompanies heart disease. Be sure to talk to your doctor if you begin to feel sad.

Diagnostic Tests

Your doctor will want to interview you, of course. He will will take your blood pressure and probably order some blood tests. Here are the other tests for heart disease:

Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG)This test records electrical signals from your heart. You may lie down or be tested while exercising. Painless monitors will be stuck to your body for the test.

Holter Monitoring involves a portable device that you wear, usually for 24 to 72 hours. This test is used to discover heart rhythm irregularities.

Echocardiogram This is really an ultrasound of your chest to provide images of your heart. It is painless.

Stress Test A test that raises your heart rate with exercise or medicine to discover how your heart responds.

Cardiac Catheterization A tube is inserted into a vein or artery. The doctor watches X-ray images while he guids the tube to your heart. Pressures in your heart chambers can be measured and a dye can be seen that helps your doctor see the blood flow through your heart.

Cardiac CT Scan A special x-ray system for cardiac patients.

Cardiac MRI A machine uses a magnetic field to create images of your heart.

Treatments for Heart Disease

Nobody likes to learn this, but the best treatment for heart disease is a simple diet, limited alcohol, and exercise. Your doctor may prescribe exercise therapies, support groups, and dieticians, but the one who has to do this work is really you. You may need medicines, but the plan is to take fewer meds over time with your doctor supervising any changes.

Antiplatelet Drugs Aspirin is and antiplatelet drug. These keep arteries open and keep blood clots from forming.

Anticoagulants Blood thinners prevent blood from clotting. Examples are Warfarin and Heparin.

Digitalis makes the heart contract harder and slows fast rhythms.

ACE Inhibitors stop a chemical that narrows blood vessels and so reduce high blood pressure.

Beta Blockers slow the heart so blood pressure drops and the heart doesn't have to work so hard.

Nitrates or nitroglycerin, relax blood vessels and stop chest pain.

Calcium Channel Blockers relax blood vessels and are used to treat high blood pressure and chest pain.

Diuretics (sometimes called water pills) treat high blood pressure by decreasing fluid in the body.

Blood Cholesterol-Lowering Agents decrease LDL or bad cholesterol levels in the blood.

Thrombolytic Agents are given during a heart attack to break up a blood clot.

Angioplasty and Stents angioplasty is a minor surgical procedure to open blocked heart arteries. Stents can be installed during angioplasty.

Heart Bypass Surgery When coronary arteries are blocked, heart bypass surgery creates a new pathway to the heart.

Valve Disease Treatment A fairly new procedure is balloon valvuloplasty, though traditional surgical proceedures might be required.

Cardioversion sometimes called Electrical Cardioversion sends electric shocks to your heart to correct abnormal heartbeats.

EECP treatment is not invasive and is an outpatient therapy. Blood pressure cuffs on both legs gently compress the blood vessels to boost blood flow to your heart. Each wave is timed to your heartbeat. This helps small blood vessel in your heart to open and give more blood flow to your heart muscle.

Pacemakers these are small devices that send electrical impulses to the heart muscle to keep up heart rate and rhythm.

Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator is used to treat abnormal heart rhythms.

Left Ventricular Assist Device is a kind of mechanical heart, placed inside your chest by a surgeon.

Heart Transplant A healthy donor's heart is used to replace your diseased heart. The donor is a person who has died.