If you have certain disorders, it may be time to get health screenings and try to prevent more problems.

Chronic disease is a scourge of older age. About 85% of people ages 60 or older have at least one such condition, and 60% have at least two. The numbers can climb even higher; some diseases seem to go hand in hand, so having one automatically increases your risk for developing another.

A vicious cycle

Some of the most common chronic conditions are very closely related, such as obesity, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, and heart disease. Many of these conditions are risk factors for each other, creating a domino effect: if one is not controlled, it raises the risk of developing another.


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