Physical health

As our elders age, their physical health starts to decline. They become more vulnerable to slips, trips, falls, and other accidents. Because their bodies are no longer in their prime, a small accident could mean serious injury and a longer recovery time. We briefly discussed how the effects of substances can cause accidents that pose a great health risk to older adults. Now, let’s take a closer look at how substance abuse can affect their overall physical health.

Hover over or tap each image to learn more about how different substances impact an elder’s physical health.

Alcohol

The liver’s ability to process alcohol decreases, while the brain’s sensitivity to alcohol increases
Older adults tend to have higher blood alcohol concentrations and increased impairment
Even moderate drinking can impair an elder, and put them at risk for a serious accident

Heavy drinking can lead to health problems, including:

Diabetes
High blood pressure
Congestive heart failure
Liver problems
Osteoporosis

Prescription Medications/Opioids

Like alcohol, an older adult will process medications more slowly than a younger person
Older adults often see multiple doctors, and are prescribed multiple medications
Medications that are mixed can lead to a serious drug-drug interaction, or even death

Abuse of medications such as opioids, stimulants and sedatives can lead to:

Overdose
Slow or loss of breathing
Low blood pressure
Memory problems
Heart problems
High blood pressure
Seizures
Hallucinations
Withdrawal symptoms

Marijuana

Health risks increase when an older adult’s cognitive and cardiovascular system is already compromised.

Health risks of marijuana smoking include:

Short-term memory problems
Increased heart rate
Increased respiratory rate
High blood pressure
Risk of heart attack

Mixing Substances

Mixing different substances is dangerous and can even lead to death.

Older adults are vulnerable to mixing substances accidentally:

They may become confused or forget which medications they took, or how long ago they took them
They may be unaware of the effects of mixing different substances
Mixing alcohol with certain medications can intensify the effects of the medication, like sleepiness, drowsiness and lightheadedness.
Older adults are more likely to be prescribed a medication that interacts badly with alcohol.
Marijuana can interact with medications and further complicate already existing health problems.