NAT212 Chapter 21 e14 - Part 2

Chapter 21 Growth and Development

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POSTNATAL PERIOD (cont.) 

Older adulthood (Figure 21-13) Degenerative changes characterize older adulthood (also called senescence)  Every organ system of the body undergoes degenerative changes  Senescence culminates in death 

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EFFECTS OF AGING 

Integumentary system (skin)   

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Skeletal system     

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With age, skin “sags” and becomes thin, dry, wrinkled Pigmentation problems are common Frequently thinning or loss of hair occurs Aging causes changes in the texture, calcification, and shape of bones Bone spurs develop around joints Bones become porous and fracture easily Degenerative joint diseases such as osteoarthritis are common Physical activity can reduce loss of bone mass and mobility

Central nervous system  

Increased risk of dementia Mature reasoning ability Mosby items and derived items © 2012 by Mosby, Inc., an affiliate of Elsevier Inc.

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EFFECTS OF AGING (cont.) 

Special senses  

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All sense organs show a gradual decline in performance with age Eye lenses become hard and cannot accommodate for near vision; result is farsightedness in many people by age 45 (presbyopia, or “old eye”) Loss of transparency of lens or cornea is common (cataract) Glaucoma (increase in pressure in eyeball) is often the cause of blindness in older adulthood Increased risk of retinal degeneration or detachment Loss of hair cells in inner ear produces frequency deafness in many older people Decreased transmission of sound waves caused by loss of elasticity of eardrum and fixing of the bony ear ossicles is common in older adulthood Some degree of hearing impairment is universally present in the aged Smell and taste may be reduced; only about 40% of the taste buds present at age 30 remain at age 75 Mosby items and derived items © 2012 by Mosby, Inc., an affiliate of Elsevier Inc.

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EFFECTS OF AGING (cont.) 

Cardiovascular system  

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Degenerative heart and blood vessel disease is among the most common and serious effects of aging Fat deposits in blood vessels (atherosclerosis) decrease blood flow to the heart and may cause complete blockage of the coronary arteries Hardening of arteries (arteriosclerosis) may result in rupture of blood vessels, especially in the brain (stroke) Hypertension or high blood pressure is common in older adulthood

Respiratory system   

Calcification of costal cartilages causes rib cage to remain in expanded position—barrel chest Wasting of respiratory muscles decreases respiratory efficiency Respiratory membrane thickens; movement of oxygen from alveoli to blood is slowed Mosby items and derived items © 2012 by Mosby, Inc., an affiliate of Elsevier Inc.

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EFFECTS OF AGING (cont.) 

Urinary system Nephron units decrease in number by 50% between ages 30 and 75  Blood flow to kidney decreases and therefore ability to form urine decreases  Bladder problems such as inability to void completely are caused by muscle wasting in the bladder wall 

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