Hypertension is the most common chronic condition among adults aged 85 years and older, with the prevalence higher among women than men, according to a report published in the June Health E-Stats.

Yelena Gorina, M.P.H., and Ellen A. Kramarow, Ph.D., from the National Center for Health Statistics in Hyattsville, Maryland, used data from the 2022 and 2023 National Health Interview Survey to present estimates of the percentage of adults aged 85 years and older with 11 selected chronic conditions.

The number of American adults aged 85 years and older was 6.1 million in 2023 and is projected to reach 13.7 million by 2040. The authors note that the most common of the selected chronic conditions reported were hypertension, arthritis, and high cholesterol among civilian noninstitutionalized adults aged 85 years and older (66.9%, 55.9%, and 46.5%, respectively).

For both men and women, hypertension was the most common chronic condition reported, with a higher prevalence for women than men (68.9 versus 63.7%). The prevalence of arthritis was also higher for women than men (63.2 versus 44.2%), but men had a higher prevalence of high cholesterol (50.5 versus 44.0%), cancer (39.8 versus 28.6%), heart disease (31.5 versus 26.3%), and diabetes (19.3 versus 14.5%).

Overall, 7.4, 12.1, 20.8, 22.3, and 37.3% of adults aged 85 years and older reported none, one, two, three, and four or more of the selected chronic conditions, respectively. In the distribution of the number of chronic conditions, there were no significant differences observed between men and women.

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