Heart Health and Aging

What is heart failure?

Heart failure occurs when one or both sides of the heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs. It develops over time as the pumping action of the heart gets weaker, or if it becomes difficult for the heart to adequately fill with blood between heartbeats. Heart failure does not mean that the heart has stopped or is about to stop working.

When heart failure affects the left side of the heart, the heart cannot pump enough oxygen-rich blood to the rest of the body. When it affects the right side of the heart, the heart cannot pump enough blood to the lungs to pick up oxygen. When the heart is weakened by heart failure, resulting symptoms can include shortness of breath and swelling in the feet, ankles, abdomen, and legs.

Older adults with long-term high blood pressure and obesity are at greater risk of developing heart failure. In these people, heart failure results from thickened and stiff heart muscle that relaxes too slowly. Although the heart muscle is not damaged or weak in this type of heart failure, if left untreated, the condition can be debilitating and make it difficult to do even basic activities.

Heart failure can be caused by other diseases or conditions that damage the heart muscle, such as coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathy, heart inflammation, heart attacks, diabetes, viral illnesses, long-term use of alcohol, and high blood pressure. Treating these problems before the heart muscle is damaged can help prevent heart failure. Buildup of a protein called amyloid within the heart muscle can be another cause of heart failure, especially in older adults of African, Hispanic, or Caribbean decent. If the condition is found early in these individuals, treatment for the buildup may be available to help prevent heart failure.

Keeping your heart healthy

There are many steps you can take to help keep your heart healthy. Here are some ideas:

Stay physically active. If possible, aim to get at least 150 minutes of physical activity each week. Research has found that resistance training (also called strength training) and aerobic exercise can both benefit heart health. But it’s most important just to get moving — any physical activity is better than none. Talk with your doctor about the type of activities that would be best for you.

If you smoke, quit. Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death. Smoking adds to the damage to artery walls that occurs in heart disease. Quitting smoking, even in later life, can improve your health and lower your risk of heart disease, stroke, and cancer.

Follow a heart-healthy diet. Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and foods high in fiber (such as those made with whole grains). Also choose foods that are low in saturated fats, added sugars, and salt. As we get older, our bodies become more sensitive to salt, which can cause high blood pressure and swelling in the abdomen, legs, and feet. Learn more about the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), a flexible and balanced eating plan that helps create a heart-healthy eating style, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s dietary guidelines.

Maintain a healthy weight. Balancing the calories you eat and drink with the calories burned through being physically active helps to maintain a healthy weight. Ways you can stay at a healthy weight include limiting portion sizes and getting regular exercise that includes resistance training.

Keep your diabetes, high blood pressure, and/or high cholesterol under control. Follow your doctor’s advice to manage these conditions, and take medications as directed.

Don’t drink much or any alcohol. As we age, alcohol consumption can make existing health problems worse and have dangerous interactions with some medications.

Manage stress. Learn how to manage stress, relax, and cope with problems to improve physical and emotional health. Consider activities such as a stress management program, meditation, physical activity, and talking about concerns with friends or family. To learn more about stress management techniques, visit the NIH National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.

Get enough sleep. Getting enough good-quality sleep is another way to help reduce the risk of heart disease. As we get older, our sleep patterns begin to change, making it more difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep. Sleep disorders such as sleep apnea can also affect how much and how well you sleep. Talk with your doctor if you have difficulties sleeping. Read more about getting a good night’s sleep.