5

Question 1

Changes to the cardiovascular system with aging:

Answer 1

• weakened cardiac muscle
• arteries become narrow and become less elastic
• potentially a decrease in blood volume

Question 2

Changes to the respiratory system with aging:

Answer 2

• may lead to SOBOE or dyspnea even at rest
• skeletal changes
• hardening of arteries
• weakened throat muscles
• weakened vocal cords

Question 3

Changes to the digestive system with aging:

Answer 3

• decrease in saliva production
• difficulty swallowing
• decrease in appetite
• decrease in secretion of digestive juices
  *ingestion
  *peristalsis slows

Question 4

Changes to the urinary system with aging:

Answer 4

• decreased blood supply to kidneys: less volume to be filtered= less urine produced
• atrophy of kidneys: less efficient filtration once a certain point is reached
• decreased kidney function: usually less urine, changed urine chemistry
• frequency, urgency, nocturia may be due to: muscle atrophy, decreased fluid intake, decreased bladder size, enlarged prostate gland in males

Question 5

Changes to the reproductive system with aging:

Answer 5

• changes during adolescence (secondary sex characteristics) female: beginning of menstrual cycles
  male: ejaculation and nocturnal ejaculation for males (“wet dreams”)

*changes with aging
female: menopause, atrophy begins, thinning vaginal walls and dryness

male: decreased testosterone, decreased sperm count, testes smaller, increase in size of prostate gland, slower orgasms or erections of penis

Question 6

Changes to the endocrine system with aging:

Answer 6

• aging from child to adolescent: increase in sex hormones, development of secondary sex characteristics
• older age: some decrease in hormone production, especially testosterone, estrogen, progesterone
• thyroid gland: decrease in thyroid hormone
• decrease in hormone production can cause slowing of bodily functions

Question 7

Changes to the immune system with aging:

Answer 7

• macrophages slow down- which destroys bacteria and foreign cells slowly
• immune system struggles to distinguish self from non-self, in return autoimmune system maybe more common
• fewer white blood cells- less ability to defend against infections
• antibiotics less effective
• very essential for booster shots

Question 8

8 glands in endocrine system…

Answer 8

1. Pineal gland
2. Pituitary gland (master gland)
3. Thyroid gland
4. Thymus gland
5. Adrenal gland
6. Pancreas
7. Ovaries
8. Testes