Common Heart Changes
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The most common change is increased stiffness of the large arteries or hardening of the arteries, which causes high blood pressure (hypertension)
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Older people are more likely to suffer a heart attack, have a stroke or develop coronary heart disease and heart failure
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As you get older, your heart can’t beat as fast during physical activity as when you are younger
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Age-related changes can lead to arrhythmias (rapid, slowed or irregular heartbeats)
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People may become more sensitive to salt, leading to increase in blood pressure and/or foot swelling (edema)
Learn more about heart health and aging.
Healthy Heart Tips
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Quit smoking
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Exercise
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Eat a heart-healthy diet
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Reach and stay at a healthy weight
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Manage stress
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Manage diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol
Resources
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Heart-Healthy Eating (Kaiser Permanente)
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American Heart Association Healthy Diet Guidelines (American Heart Association)
Kaiser Permanente Members
You deserve high-quality care that helps you spend many healthy years doing what you love. At Kaiser Permanente, you have an experienced team of cardiologists working together to protect your heart health. Learn more about Kaiser Permanente's heart health and cardiac care.
Classes:
Heart Conditions
Heart Disease (Coronary Artery Disease)
Heart disease (also known as coronary artery disease) happens when fatty deposits called plaque build up inside the coronary arteries of your heart. This process of plaque buildup is called hardening of the arteries, or atherosclerosis. Plaque buildup may reduce blood flow to the heart muscle. Like any muscle, the heart needs blood to work well. Poor blood flow can cause angina symptoms, such as chest pain or pressure. If the plaque breaks apart, it can cause a heart attack.
Kaiser Permanente Heart Disease Resources
Heart Attack
A heart attack occurs when blood flow to the heart is blocked. Without blood and the oxygen it carries, part of the heart starts to die. A heart attack doesn't have to be deadly. Quick treatment can restore blood flow to the heart and save your life. Learn about heart attack symptoms.
Cardiac Arrest
In cardiac arrest, the heart suddenly stops beating which causes blood to stop pumping to the body. If the heartbeat is not restarted within minutes, the person will die. Cardiac arrest is different from a heart attack, which happens when part of the heart muscle dies because blood flow to it has been blocked.
Heart Failure
Heart failure means that your heart muscle doesn't pump as much blood as your body needs. Failure doesn't mean that your heart has stopped; it means that your heart isn't pumping as well as it should. Learn more about heart failure.
High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)
Blood pressure is a measure of how hard the blood pushes against the walls of your arteries. It's normal for blood pressure to go up and down throughout the day, but if it stays up, you have high blood pressure.
High blood pressure means that the top number stays high, or the bottom number stays high, or both. For diagnosis, the top number may be 130 or 140 or higher. The bottom number may be 80 or 90 or higher.
High blood pressure increases the risk of stroke, heart attack, and other problems.
Stroke
A stroke is damage to the brain that occurs when a blood vessel in the brain bursts or is blocked by a blood clot. Without blood and the oxygen it carries, part of the brain starts to die. The part of the body controlled by the damaged area of the brain can't work properly. Brain damage can start within minutes of a stroke, but quick treatment can help limit the damage and increase the chance of a full recovery.
Stroke Resources
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American Stroke Association: visit stroke.org or call the stroke family warmline: 1-888-4-STROKE or 1-888-478-7653
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Aphasia Center of California: visit aphasiacenter.net or call 510-336-0112