Diseases associated with aging
Pushparaj, N.; O'Toole, K.; Hyland, M.; King, D.W.
Comprehensive Therapy 9(7): 7-16
1983
ISSN/ISBN: 0098-8243 PMID: 6883982 Document Number: 209893
Friese has recently presented a graph of the demographics of aging, indicating that the number of people over 65 in 1990 will approach 21 million, or 15% of the population. The life expectancy of men will soon approach that of women (74 to 75 years). As cancer, heart disease, and stroke are conquered, longevity will increase by less than 12 years. The older population will have increasingly diminished physical and mental capacity, not necessarily associated with specific disease processes, but rather resulting from a generalized cellular and extracellular deterioration, particularly affecting the homeostatic control mechanisms of the central nervous, neuroendocrine, and immune systems. They will require increased protection from the environmental insults with which they could cope more easily at an earlier age. Their treatment will have to be individually adjusted depending on the combination of lesions they display. The patient's socioeconomic status, family support structure, and general psychological profile play significant roles in their longevity and terminal illness.