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People age 65 and older are much more likely than younger people to have chest pain, a heart attack, a stroke or heart disease. Aging can cause changes in the heart and blood vessels.

The most common aging change is increased stiffness of the large arteries, called arteriosclerosis (ahr-teer-ee-o-skluh-roh-sis). This causes high blood pressure, or hypertension. High blood pressure becomes more common as we age. Talk to your doctor about how you can prevent or control high blood pressure. This can help you lower your risk of a heart attack and heart disease.

Source: National Institute on Aging