What Is Geriatrics?

Geriatric diseases refer to illnesses that become more prevalent as individuals age and physiological functions decline. Generally, people aged 45–59 years are considered to be in the pre-senescence or early aging stage; those aged 60–89 years are classified as elderly; and those aged 90 years and older are categorized as long-lived. So, what exactly are geriatric diseases? The following section provides an explanation.

What Are Geriatric Diseases?

Geriatric diseases—also termed age-related diseases—are conditions occurring during old age that are associated with biological aging and exhibit distinct clinical characteristics. In fact, the spectrum of diseases affecting older adults largely overlaps with that seen in middle-aged and younger adults. However, geriatric medicine has emerged as a specialized field precisely because older adults differ significantly from younger individuals in terms of physiology, pathophysiology, disease presentation, and response to illness. Once ill, elderly patients often experience more severe disease manifestations involving multiple organ systems—including the cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, and urinary systems—simultaneously. Even seemingly simple infections may precipitate or coexist with complications such as heart failure, renal failure, or hepatic dysfunction. Consequently, disease management in older adults is more complex, requiring careful consideration of fluid administration volume, drug dosing, disease course, and prognosis. Illnesses in the elderly typically have prolonged courses; medication dosages must generally be reduced compared with standard adult doses, and intravenous fluid volumes must also be carefully limited. Moreover, disease severity tends to be higher and prognosis poorer in this population.

Knowledge Expansion: How to Prevent Geriatric Diseases

1. Adjust Dietary Patterns

Many young people consume unbalanced diets, frequently ingesting high-calorie snacks, fried foods, and grilled items while eating insufficient vegetables and fruits. Such habits contribute to elevated blood lipid levels, blood pressure, and blood glucose, leading to an increasing trend of chronic diseases—including diabetes, hypertension, and fatty liver disease—occurring at younger ages. Therefore, young adults should regulate their dietary intake: limit consumption of sweets and fried foods, and increase intake of fresh vegetables and fruits.

2. Balance Work and Rest

Many young people engage in prolonged desk-based work, extended computer use for chatting or gaming, and excessive smartphone usage with frequent head-down postures—risk factors for cervical spondylosis, lumbar disc herniation, and visual impairment. Furthermore, physical inactivity due to prolonged sitting increases the risk of coronary artery disease, hypertension, and diabetes. It is recommended that individuals take brief breaks every one to two hours while working at a computer—stand up, walk around, stretch, and perform simple workplace exercises.

The above outlines what constitutes geriatric diseases. We hope this information proves helpful to you.