Aging changes in the kidneys and bladder

Changes in the kidneys that occur with age:

 Amount of kidney tissue decreases.
 Number of filtering units (nephrons) decreases. Nephrons filter waste material from the blood.
 Blood vessels supplying the kidneys can become hardened. This causes the kidneys to filter
blood more slowly.
Changes in the bladder:
 The bladder wall changes. The elastic tissue becomes tough and the bladder becomes less
stretchy. The bladder cannot hold as much urine as before.
 The bladder muscles weaken.
 The urethra can become blocked. In women, this can be due to weakened muscles that cause the
bladder or vagina to fall out of position (prolapse). In men, the urethra can become blocked by an
enlarged prostate gland.

Aging changes in the bones - muscles - joints

 People lose bone mass or density as they age, especially women after menopause. The
bones lose calcium and other minerals.
 Trunk becomes shorter as the disks gradually lose fluid and become thinner.
 Vertebrae lose some of their mineral content, making each bone thinner. The spinal
column becomes curved and compressed (packed together). Bone spurs caused by aging
and overall use of the spine may also form on the vertebrae.
 The foot arches become less pronounced, contributing to a slight loss of height.
The long bones of the arms and legs are more brittle because of mineral loss, but they do not
change length. This makes the arms and legs look longer when compared with the shortened
trunk.
The joints become stiffer and less flexible. Fluid in the joints may decrease. The cartilage may
begin to rub together and wear away. Minerals may deposit in and around some joints
(calcification). This is common in the shoulder.
Hip and knee joints may begin to lose cartilage (degenerative changes). The finger joints lose
cartilage and the bones thicken slightly. Finger joint changes are more common in women. These
changes may be inherited.

Lean body mass decreases. This decrease is partly caused by a loss of muscle tissue (atrophy).
The speed and amount of muscle changes seem to be caused by genes. Muscle changes often
begin in the 20s in men and in the 40s in women.
Lipofuscin (an age-related pigment) and fat are deposited in muscle tissue. The muscle fibers
shrink. Muscle tissue is replaced more slowly. Lost muscle tissue may be replaced with a tough
fibrous tissue. This is most noticeable in the hands, which may look thin and bony.

Muscles are less toned and less able to contract because of changes in the muscle tissue and
normal aging changes in the nervous system. Muscles may become rigid with age and may lose
tone, even with regular exercise.
EFFECT OF CHANGES

Bones become more brittle and may break more easily. Overall height decreases, mainly because
the trunk and spine shorten.

Breakdown of the joints may lead to inflammation, pain, stiffness, and deformity. Joint changes
affect almost all older people. These changes range from minor stiffness to severe arthritis.
The posture may become more stooped (bent). The knees and hips may become more flexed.
The neck may tilt, and the shoulders may narrow while the pelvis becomes wider.

Movement slows and may become limited. The walking pattern (gait) becomes slower and
shorter. Walking may become unsteady, and there is less arm swinging. Older people get tired
more easily and have less energy.

Strength and endurance change. Loss of muscle mass reduces strength.

 Aging changes in the nervous system

AGING CHANGES AND THEIR EFFECTS ON THE NERVOUS SYSTEM

 brain and spinal cord lose nerve cells and weight (atrophy).
 Nerve cells may begin to pass messages more slowly than in the past.
 Waste products can collect in the brain tissue as nerve cells break down. This can cause
abnormal changes in the brain called plaques and tangles to form.
 A fatty brown pigment (lipofuscin) can also build up in nerve tissue.
 Breakdown of nerves can affect your senses. You might have reduced or lost reflexes or
sensation. This leads to problems with movement and safety.
 Slowing of thought, memory, and thinking is a normal part of aging. These changes are
not the same in everyone. Some people have many changes in their nerves and brain
tissue. Others have few changes. These changes are not always related to the effects on
your ability to think.

Aging changes in the heart

Heart:

 The heart has a natural pacemaker system that controls the heartbeat. Some of the pathways of
this system may develop fibrous tissue and fat deposits. The natural pacemaker (the SA node)
loses some of its cells. These changes may result in a slightly slower heart rate.
 A slight increase in the size of the heart, especially the left ventricle occurs in some people. The
heart wall thickens, so the amount of blood that the chamber can hold may actually decrease
despite the increased overall heart size. The heart may fill more slowly.

 Heart changes cause the ECG of a normal, healthy older person to be slightly different than the
ECG of a healthy younger adult. Abnormal rhythms (arrhythmias), such as atrial fibrillation, are
more common in older people. They may be caused by heart disease.
 Normal changes in the heart include deposits of the "aging pigment," lipofuscin. The heart
muscle cells degenerate slightly. The valves inside the heart, which control the direction of blood
flow, thicken and become stiffer. A heart murmur caused by valve stiffness is fairly common in
older people.

 EFFECT OF CHANGES

 Normally, the heart continues to pump enough blood to supply all parts of the body.
However, an older heart may not be able to pump blood as well when you make it work
harder.