Healthy Aging

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Diseases and Conditions

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Because people are living longer, more Americans are dying of diseases linked with old age. Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the U.S. Some people think of heart disease as a "man's disease." But women of all ages can have heart disease and the risk increases with age. Chronic conditions, physical limitations, and the risk of cancer and heart disease all increase as women age, making preventive screening and care a key part of health care for older women.

Some of the diseases common in older women are listed below.

A

• Alzheimer's Disease
  • The risk of Alzheimer's disease rises as you age. More women than men survive to the ages when Alzheimer's disease is most common.
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• Anxiety disorders and Depression
  • Twice as many women as men are diagnosed with clinical depression and anxiety disorders. These mental health conditions can be linked to other chronic illnesses common in later life such as diabetes, stroke, heart disease, cancer, chronic lung disease, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and arthritis.
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• Arthritis–Osteoarthritis
  • Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis. Almost 27 million American adults have it. Age is one of the biggest risk factors. Women have higher rates of OA, especially after age 50.
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• Arthritis–Rheumatoid Arthritis
  • Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) usually strikes women between the ages of 25 to 50. More than 2 million American adults have RA. About two to three times more women have RA than men.
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• Asthma
  • In 2005, females over 18 were 40 percent more likely to currently have asthma than males. Taking hormone therapy to help symptoms of menopause may increase the risk of asthma among postmenopausal women.
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B

• Bronchitis
  • Anyone can get bronchitis, but older adults are more likely to get the disease because their immune systems generally are weaker.
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C

• Cancer
  • Cancer is the second leading cause of death for women ages 65 or older. Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the U.S. Learn more about protecting your skin in our section on Aging Skin.
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D

• Dementia
  • The risk of dementia rises as you age. More women than men survive to the ages when dementia is most common. Learn more about brain and memory loss in our Mental Health section.
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• Depression and Anxiety disorders
  • Twice as many women as men are diagnosed with clinical depression and anxiety disorders. These mental health conditions can be linked to other chronic illnesses common in later life such as diabetes, stroke, heart disease, cancer, chronic lung disease, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and arthritis.
  • Additional Resources
  
  
• Diabetes
  • People with diabetes are two to four times more likely to die from heart disease. In recent years, the risk of dying from heart disease has been falling in men with diabetes. However, women's risk has been rising.
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E

• Emphysema
  • Emphysema is a type of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Heavy cigarette smoking causes most emphysema cases.
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H

• Heart Disease
  • Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in women in the United States.
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• High Blood Pressure
  • Loneliness may boost high blood pressure in older adults.
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• Hip Fractures
  • Falls are the leading cause of injury deaths and disabilities among older adults. Hip fractures are the most common injury related to falls. Learn more about falls in our section on Preventing Falls.
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I

• Incontinence
  • Urinary incontinence is common among older women. There are treatments that can help reduce or even cure urinary incontinence.
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• Influenza
  • People over age 65 are at high risk of having complications from influenza or "the flu." You also are at increased risk of influenza or its complications if you live in a nursing home or other chronic-care facility. Learn about what you can do to prevent the flu.
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O

• Osteoporosis
  • Lower estrogen levels brought on by menopause cause the body to lose more bone than it can replace, which can lead to osteoporosis (extreme bone loss). Women are four times more likely than men to develop osteoporosis.
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P

• Pain
  • Approximately 42 million Americans report experiencing pain that has lasted for more than a year. Women are more likely to suffer from chronic pain — due to conditions like fibromyalgia — than men.
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• Pneumonia
  • Pneumonia is a very serious concern for older adults and people with chronic illnesses or weak immune systems.
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S

• Septicemia/Sepsis (blood poisoning)
  • Older adults are at risk of developing septicemia from bacterial infections and dying from it.
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• Stroke
  • Since women are generally older when they have strokes, they are more likely to die as a result.
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T

• Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
  • Nearly 56,000 adults over 65 per year are hospitalized with TBI due to falls. About 8,000 die. Learn more about falls in our section on Preventing Falls.
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V

• Vision Problems and Blindness
  • Cataracts cause lenses in the eye to cloud. This makes it harder to see. Cataracts are very common in older people. Glaucoma is a disease that can cause blindness. It is more common in people over the age of 60. African-Americans are five times more likely to get glaucoma.
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Content last updated March 5, 2009.