Age-related diseases are illnesses and conditions that occur more frequently in people as they get older, meaning age is a significant risk factor. According to David Hogan, gerontologist, and professor of medicine at the University of Calgary, the following 13 conditions are some of the more common age-related diseases.

1Cardiovascular DiseaseHero Images / Getty ImagesHeart disease is the number one killer in the United States and among the leadingcauses of deathin many other countries.The most common form iscoronary artery disease, which involves a narrowing or blockage of the main arteries supplying the heart with blood. Obstructions can develop over time, or quickly—as in an acute rupture—and cause potentially fatal heart attacks.Untreated underlying conditions like hypertension and high cholesterol, over time (as their occurrence increases with age), contribute to cardiovascular disease and cerebrovascular disease.

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Cardiovascular DiseaseHero Images / Getty ImagesHeart disease is the number one killer in the United States and among the leadingcauses of deathin many other countries.The most common form iscoronary artery disease, which involves a narrowing or blockage of the main arteries supplying the heart with blood. Obstructions can develop over time, or quickly—as in an acute rupture—and cause potentially fatal heart attacks.Untreated underlying conditions like hypertension and high cholesterol, over time (as their occurrence increases with age), contribute to cardiovascular disease and cerebrovascular disease.

Cardiovascular Disease

Hero Images / Getty Images

Senior man talks to his doctor in an exam room.

Heart disease is the number one killer in the United States and among the leadingcauses of deathin many other countries.

The most common form iscoronary artery disease, which involves a narrowing or blockage of the main arteries supplying the heart with blood. Obstructions can develop over time, or quickly—as in an acute rupture—and cause potentially fatal heart attacks.

Untreated underlying conditions like hypertension and high cholesterol, over time (as their occurrence increases with age), contribute to cardiovascular disease and cerebrovascular disease.

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Cerebrovascular Disease (Strokes)

Astrokehappens when blood stops flowing in one area of the brain because of a disruption in one of the blood vessels. It is very serious because brain cells deprived of oxygen begin to die very quickly.

Strokes can cause death or serious disability, depending on the location and severity of the blockage or rupture.

3High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)Blood pressure is the force blood exerts on the walls of your arteries as your heart pumps. It’s lower when you’re sleeping or are at rest, and higher when you’re stressed or excited—though it tends to rise generally with age.Chronicallyelevated blood pressurecan cause serious problems for your heart, blood vessels, kidneys, and other systems in the body.

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High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)Blood pressure is the force blood exerts on the walls of your arteries as your heart pumps. It’s lower when you’re sleeping or are at rest, and higher when you’re stressed or excited—though it tends to rise generally with age.Chronicallyelevated blood pressurecan cause serious problems for your heart, blood vessels, kidneys, and other systems in the body.

High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)

Blood pressure is the force blood exerts on the walls of your arteries as your heart pumps. It’s lower when you’re sleeping or are at rest, and higher when you’re stressed or excited—though it tends to rise generally with age.

Chronicallyelevated blood pressurecan cause serious problems for your heart, blood vessels, kidneys, and other systems in the body.

4CancerOne of the biggest risk factors for many types ofcancer, in which abnormal cells grow uncontrollably, is age.According to the American Cancer Society, 77% of all cancers are diagnosed in people over the age of 55.In Canada, cancer represents the leading cause of death for both men and women.A number of types of cancer are more common as we age, includingskin,breast,lung, colorectal,prostate,bladder, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and stomach cancers.

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CancerOne of the biggest risk factors for many types ofcancer, in which abnormal cells grow uncontrollably, is age.According to the American Cancer Society, 77% of all cancers are diagnosed in people over the age of 55.In Canada, cancer represents the leading cause of death for both men and women.A number of types of cancer are more common as we age, includingskin,breast,lung, colorectal,prostate,bladder, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and stomach cancers.

Cancer

One of the biggest risk factors for many types ofcancer, in which abnormal cells grow uncontrollably, is age.

According to the American Cancer Society, 77% of all cancers are diagnosed in people over the age of 55.In Canada, cancer represents the leading cause of death for both men and women.

A number of types of cancer are more common as we age, includingskin,breast,lung, colorectal,prostate,bladder, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and stomach cancers.

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Type 2 Diabetes

Diabetesis a disorder that disrupts the way your body uses glucose, or sugar, from the food it digests. Type 1 diabetes (formerly called juvenile diabetes) typically begins in people under the age of 30 and causes their bodies to stop producing insulin.

The far more prevalentType 2 diabetesbecomes more common after age 45 and involves resistance to insulin that causes the body to improperly process glucose.

Both types of diabetes lead to blood sugar levels that are too high, which can lead to serious problems like heart attack, stroke, nerve damage, kidney failure, ​and blindness.

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Parkinson’s Disease

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Dementia (Including Alzheimer’s Disease)

Alzheimer’s diseaseis the most common cause of dementia, but a number of other diseases can cause it as well, including:

While the incidence of dementia increases with age, it is not considered a natural part of theaging process.

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Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

COPD is most common in people over 65. The condition cannot be cured, but it can be treated, and, perhaps more importantly, prevented.

Symptomsinclude:A worsening, chronic, and productive coughWheezingShortness of breath

Symptomsinclude:

The main cause of COPD is chronic exposure to airborne irritants like tobacco smoke (either as a primary smoker or second-hand), occupational contaminants, or industrial pollution. Cigarette smoking remains the most significant risk factor.

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Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease and the most common form ofarthritis.Osteoarthritis occurs more commonly as people age, and it’s more prevalent in women. Genetics, obesity, and prior joint injury also make you more susceptible.

Treatments differ depending on which joints are affected and can include self-management programs, tai chi, topical medications, yoga, cognitive behavioral therapy, and steroid injections.

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Osteoporosis

Screening is recommended for all women at the age of 65, or earlier if they have risk factors (like smoking or chronic steroid use). The condition can be treated to prevent fractures.

According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, as many as half of all women over the age of 50 will break a bone because of osteoporosis, as will 27% of men over 50.Bone breaks likehip fracturesare a very serious problem for older adults, resulting in a loss of mobility and independence. In about a quarter of all cases, death within a year of the injury.

Regular weight-bearing exercise, eating a diet rich in calcium and Vitamin D, and not smoking can all help prevent osteoporosis.

11CataractsA cataract is a progressive cloudiness in the lens of your eye, resulting from a number of factors, including age, exposure to ultraviolet light, smoking, and diabetes.According to the National Eye Institute, more than half of all people over the age of 80 have some kind of cataract or have had cataract surgery. Initially, you may not notice a cataract, but over time vision can become blurred and much reduced.Cataract surgerymay be recommended to remove and replace the lens. Thanks to modern advancements, it can be performed as an outpatient procedure, often in about an hour.

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CataractsA cataract is a progressive cloudiness in the lens of your eye, resulting from a number of factors, including age, exposure to ultraviolet light, smoking, and diabetes.According to the National Eye Institute, more than half of all people over the age of 80 have some kind of cataract or have had cataract surgery. Initially, you may not notice a cataract, but over time vision can become blurred and much reduced.Cataract surgerymay be recommended to remove and replace the lens. Thanks to modern advancements, it can be performed as an outpatient procedure, often in about an hour.

Cataracts

A cataract is a progressive cloudiness in the lens of your eye, resulting from a number of factors, including age, exposure to ultraviolet light, smoking, and diabetes.

According to the National Eye Institute, more than half of all people over the age of 80 have some kind of cataract or have had cataract surgery. Initially, you may not notice a cataract, but over time vision can become blurred and much reduced.

Cataract surgerymay be recommended to remove and replace the lens. Thanks to modern advancements, it can be performed as an outpatient procedure, often in about an hour.

12Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)Age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a common condition in adults over the age of 50, is the most common cause of blindness in older people. As the macula of the eye progressively deteriorates, so does a person’s ability to see objects clearly in the center of his field of vision, though peripheral vision is usually preserved.Age is one risk factor, but so is smoking, race (Caucasians are more susceptible than African-Americans), and family history. Though the role of certain lifestyle habits is not fully understood, researchers believe that limiting tobacco use, regular exercise, maintaining healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and eating an anti-aging diet rich in colorful vegetables and fish will all help prevent AMD.

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Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)Age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a common condition in adults over the age of 50, is the most common cause of blindness in older people. As the macula of the eye progressively deteriorates, so does a person’s ability to see objects clearly in the center of his field of vision, though peripheral vision is usually preserved.Age is one risk factor, but so is smoking, race (Caucasians are more susceptible than African-Americans), and family history. Though the role of certain lifestyle habits is not fully understood, researchers believe that limiting tobacco use, regular exercise, maintaining healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and eating an anti-aging diet rich in colorful vegetables and fish will all help prevent AMD.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a common condition in adults over the age of 50, is the most common cause of blindness in older people. As the macula of the eye progressively deteriorates, so does a person’s ability to see objects clearly in the center of his field of vision, though peripheral vision is usually preserved.

Age is one risk factor, but so is smoking, race (Caucasians are more susceptible than African-Americans), and family history. Though the role of certain lifestyle habits is not fully understood, researchers believe that limiting tobacco use, regular exercise, maintaining healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and eating an anti-aging diet rich in colorful vegetables and fish will all help prevent AMD.

13Hearing LossHearing loss is common with advancing age, thanks to the deterioration of tiny hairs within your ear that help process sound. It can mean simple changes in hearing, too, such as having difficulty following a conversation in a noisy area, having trouble distinguishing certain consonants (especially in higher-pitched voices), certain sounds seeming louder than usual, and voices seeming muffled.Several factors in addition to age, such as chronic exposure to loud noises, smoking, and genetics, can affect how well you hear as you get older.About 25% of people between the ages of 65 and 74 and 50% of those over 75 have disabling age-related hearing loss.How to Think About Age-Related DiseasesWhile aging itself is not a disease, it is a risk factor for these different conditions. That doesn’t mean youwillhave an age-related disease, it just means you aremore likelyto experience these conditions as you get older.Physiological processes like inflammation, environmental exposure to pollutants and radiation (like ultraviolet radiation from the sun), the effects of lifestyle factors like smoking, diet and fitness levels, as well as simple wear and tear, can all accelerate the rate of decline in different people.Many research projects around the world are underway to determine the effect of age on the human body, to sort out which conditions are an inevitable result of getting older and which can be prevented.

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Hearing LossHearing loss is common with advancing age, thanks to the deterioration of tiny hairs within your ear that help process sound. It can mean simple changes in hearing, too, such as having difficulty following a conversation in a noisy area, having trouble distinguishing certain consonants (especially in higher-pitched voices), certain sounds seeming louder than usual, and voices seeming muffled.Several factors in addition to age, such as chronic exposure to loud noises, smoking, and genetics, can affect how well you hear as you get older.About 25% of people between the ages of 65 and 74 and 50% of those over 75 have disabling age-related hearing loss.How to Think About Age-Related DiseasesWhile aging itself is not a disease, it is a risk factor for these different conditions. That doesn’t mean youwillhave an age-related disease, it just means you aremore likelyto experience these conditions as you get older.Physiological processes like inflammation, environmental exposure to pollutants and radiation (like ultraviolet radiation from the sun), the effects of lifestyle factors like smoking, diet and fitness levels, as well as simple wear and tear, can all accelerate the rate of decline in different people.Many research projects around the world are underway to determine the effect of age on the human body, to sort out which conditions are an inevitable result of getting older and which can be prevented.

Hearing Loss

Hearing loss is common with advancing age, thanks to the deterioration of tiny hairs within your ear that help process sound. It can mean simple changes in hearing, too, such as having difficulty following a conversation in a noisy area, having trouble distinguishing certain consonants (especially in higher-pitched voices), certain sounds seeming louder than usual, and voices seeming muffled.

Several factors in addition to age, such as chronic exposure to loud noises, smoking, and genetics, can affect how well you hear as you get older.About 25% of people between the ages of 65 and 74 and 50% of those over 75 have disabling age-related hearing loss.

While aging itself is not a disease, it is a risk factor for these different conditions. That doesn’t mean youwillhave an age-related disease, it just means you aremore likelyto experience these conditions as you get older.

Physiological processes like inflammation, environmental exposure to pollutants and radiation (like ultraviolet radiation from the sun), the effects of lifestyle factors like smoking, diet and fitness levels, as well as simple wear and tear, can all accelerate the rate of decline in different people.

Many research projects around the world are underway to determine the effect of age on the human body, to sort out which conditions are an inevitable result of getting older and which can be prevented.

25 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Heart disease facts.National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Coronary artery disease.National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Stroke.National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.High blood pressure.National Cancer Institute.Age and cancer risk.Government of Canada.Fact sheet: cancer in Canada.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.What is diabetes?.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.National diabetes statistics report.National Institute on Aging.Parkinson’s disease.Gardner RC, Byers AL, Barnes DE, Li Y, Boscardin J, Yaffe K.Mild TBI and risk of Parkinson disease: A Chronic Effects of Neurotrauma Consortium Study.Neurology. 2018;90(20):e1771–e1779. doi:10.1212/WNL.0000000000005522National Institute on Aging.What is dementia? Symptoms, types, and diagnosis.Alzheimer’s Association.Types of dementia.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Alzheimer’s disease and healthy aging.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Basics about COPD.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.What is osteoarthritis (OA)?.Shane Anderson A, Loeser RF.Why is osteoarthritis an age-related disease?Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol. 2010;24(1):15–26. doi:10.1016/j.berh.2009.08.006Litwic A, Edwards M, Cooper C, Dennison E.Geographic differences in fractures among women.Womens Health (Lond). 2012;8(6):673–684. doi:10.2217/whe.12.54National Institute on Aging.Osteoporosis.National Osteoporosis Foundation.What women need to know.International Osteoporosis Foundation.Facts and statistics.National Eye Institute.At a glance: cataracts.National Eye Institute.Cataract surgery.National Eye Institute.Age-related macular degeneration.National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Age-related hearing loss.National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.Quick statistics about hearing.

25 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Heart disease facts.National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Coronary artery disease.National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Stroke.National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.High blood pressure.National Cancer Institute.Age and cancer risk.Government of Canada.Fact sheet: cancer in Canada.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.What is diabetes?.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.National diabetes statistics report.National Institute on Aging.Parkinson’s disease.Gardner RC, Byers AL, Barnes DE, Li Y, Boscardin J, Yaffe K.Mild TBI and risk of Parkinson disease: A Chronic Effects of Neurotrauma Consortium Study.Neurology. 2018;90(20):e1771–e1779. doi:10.1212/WNL.0000000000005522National Institute on Aging.What is dementia? Symptoms, types, and diagnosis.Alzheimer’s Association.Types of dementia.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Alzheimer’s disease and healthy aging.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Basics about COPD.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.What is osteoarthritis (OA)?.Shane Anderson A, Loeser RF.Why is osteoarthritis an age-related disease?Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol. 2010;24(1):15–26. doi:10.1016/j.berh.2009.08.006Litwic A, Edwards M, Cooper C, Dennison E.Geographic differences in fractures among women.Womens Health (Lond). 2012;8(6):673–684. doi:10.2217/whe.12.54National Institute on Aging.Osteoporosis.National Osteoporosis Foundation.What women need to know.International Osteoporosis Foundation.Facts and statistics.National Eye Institute.At a glance: cataracts.National Eye Institute.Cataract surgery.National Eye Institute.Age-related macular degeneration.National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Age-related hearing loss.National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.Quick statistics about hearing.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Heart disease facts.National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Coronary artery disease.National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Stroke.National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.High blood pressure.National Cancer Institute.Age and cancer risk.Government of Canada.Fact sheet: cancer in Canada.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.What is diabetes?.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.National diabetes statistics report.National Institute on Aging.Parkinson’s disease.Gardner RC, Byers AL, Barnes DE, Li Y, Boscardin J, Yaffe K.Mild TBI and risk of Parkinson disease: A Chronic Effects of Neurotrauma Consortium Study.Neurology. 2018;90(20):e1771–e1779. doi:10.1212/WNL.0000000000005522National Institute on Aging.What is dementia? Symptoms, types, and diagnosis.Alzheimer’s Association.Types of dementia.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Alzheimer’s disease and healthy aging.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Basics about COPD.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.What is osteoarthritis (OA)?.Shane Anderson A, Loeser RF.Why is osteoarthritis an age-related disease?Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol. 2010;24(1):15–26. doi:10.1016/j.berh.2009.08.006Litwic A, Edwards M, Cooper C, Dennison E.Geographic differences in fractures among women.Womens Health (Lond). 2012;8(6):673–684. doi:10.2217/whe.12.54National Institute on Aging.Osteoporosis.National Osteoporosis Foundation.What women need to know.International Osteoporosis Foundation.Facts and statistics.National Eye Institute.At a glance: cataracts.National Eye Institute.Cataract surgery.National Eye Institute.Age-related macular degeneration.National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Age-related hearing loss.National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.Quick statistics about hearing.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Heart disease facts.

National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Coronary artery disease.

National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Stroke.

National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.High blood pressure.

National Cancer Institute.Age and cancer risk.

Government of Canada.Fact sheet: cancer in Canada.

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.What is diabetes?.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.National diabetes statistics report.

National Institute on Aging.Parkinson’s disease.

Gardner RC, Byers AL, Barnes DE, Li Y, Boscardin J, Yaffe K.Mild TBI and risk of Parkinson disease: A Chronic Effects of Neurotrauma Consortium Study.Neurology. 2018;90(20):e1771–e1779. doi:10.1212/WNL.0000000000005522

National Institute on Aging.What is dementia? Symptoms, types, and diagnosis.

Alzheimer’s Association.Types of dementia.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Alzheimer’s disease and healthy aging.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Basics about COPD.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.What is osteoarthritis (OA)?.

Shane Anderson A, Loeser RF.Why is osteoarthritis an age-related disease?Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol. 2010;24(1):15–26. doi:10.1016/j.berh.2009.08.006

Litwic A, Edwards M, Cooper C, Dennison E.Geographic differences in fractures among women.Womens Health (Lond). 2012;8(6):673–684. doi:10.2217/whe.12.54

National Institute on Aging.Osteoporosis.

National Osteoporosis Foundation.What women need to know.

International Osteoporosis Foundation.Facts and statistics.

National Eye Institute.At a glance: cataracts.

National Eye Institute.Cataract surgery.

National Eye Institute.Age-related macular degeneration.

National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Age-related hearing loss.

National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.Quick statistics about hearing.

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