Final answer:
Chronic conditions such as heart disease and hypertension significantly impact older adults' health, leading to physical impairments and increased risk of cardiovascular diseases, cognitive decline, and weakened immune systems.
Step-by-step explanation:
Chronic conditions such as heart disease, hypertension, stroke, asthma, and others commonly interfere with older adults' overall health and physical abilities. Conditions like hypertension, which is persistently high blood pressure, and atherosclerosis, the buildup of fatty plaques in arteries, are significant precursors to most cases of cardiovascular disease. These conditions not only affect the arteries' ability to maintain normal blood flow but also contribute to heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular events.
Heart disease is indeed the leading cause of death among Americans, with common causative factors including arteriosclerosis and atherosclerosis. Additionally, as people age, their immune systems weaken, and the risk of diseases like cancer increases. The number of brain cells decrease with age, and cognitive impairments become more common, affecting mental health and leading to conditions like Alzheimer's disease.