Why are seniors with heart conditions neglecting their health?

According to the study, seniors with cardiovascular diseases like high blood pressure, stroke, and heart failure have significantly lower scores on the American Heart Association's "Life's Essential 8" checklist for heart-healthy habits, mainly due to lack of physical activity and poor blood pressure control.

How does heart health decline with age for seniors?

The research shows that a person's adherence to the Life's Essential 8 guidelines drops with each additional heart-related problem they develop, indicating a concerning trend of worsening lifestyle habits among the elderly population with cardiovascular issues.

What can healthcare providers do to help seniors maintain better heart health?

Experts suggest that healthcare professionals and physicians should provide more support and resources earlier in life to help the elderly population stay healthier for longer, as the study found seniors with heart conditions are neglecting vital steps to protect their cardiovascular health.

Home / Health / Seniors with Heart Issues Neglect Vital Health Habits

Seniors with Heart Issues Neglect Vital Health Habits

20 Aug

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Summary

Seniors with heart problems score 9 points lower on heart health checklist
Physical activity and blood pressure control are major issues for this group
Adherence to healthy habits declines with each additional heart condition

According to a study published on August 20, 2025, seniors in the United States with existing heart-related problems are neglecting crucial lifestyle factors that could protect their cardiovascular health. Researchers analyzed data from over 3,000 adults aged 65 and older who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2013 and 2018.

The study found that individuals with one or more heart conditions, such as high blood pressure, stroke, or heart failure, had an average "Life's Essential 8" score below 60 out of 100. In contrast, those without any cardiovascular disease scored an average of 68. This gap was primarily due to differences in physical activity levels and blood pressure control, which tended to be very low among the heart disease group.

Moreover, the researchers discovered that a person's adherence to the Life's Essential 8 guidelines declined with each additional heart-related problem they had. Over time, patients' scores dropped by several points, indicating a concerning trend of worsening lifestyle habits among the elderly population with cardiovascular issues.

"Health care professionals and physicians should seek to provide support earlier in life to help our elderly population stay healthier for longer," said lead researcher James Walker, a medical student at Northwestern University.

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