While aging itself isn't a medical condition, there are a number of disorders that are more likely to occur as you age. Some of the most common among people age 65 and older include:

• Arthritis
• Cancer
• Dementia, including Alzheimer's disease
• Diabetes
• Hearing impairment
• Heart disease, including hypertension and lipid disorders
• Osteoporosis
• Parkinson's disease
• Respiratory diseases, including pneumonia and bronchitis
• Stroke
• Vision problems such as macular degeneration, glaucoma, and cataracts

At the medical office of Robert E. Lending, MD, we help assess the risk of, prevent, and manage these health concerns.

Arthritis is a general term describing a host of conditions involving inflammation, pain, and stiffness of the joints and surrounding tissue.

The two most common types of arthritis are:

• Osteoarthritis – Considered a degenerative joint disease, this type of arthritis is the result of wear and tear over time. Body areas most often affected include the hips, knees, neck, back, and hands.
• Rheumatoid Arthritis – Believed to be the result of an autoimmune disorder (when the body's immune system mistakenly attacks itself), rheumatoid arthritis most often affects the hands and feet, although symptoms may occur in many other areas of the body.

Dr. Lending offers screenings, medications, and other types of therapy for patients with arthritis, such as joint injections that can reduce the inflammation and pain of arthritis.

One of the most common health concerns, issues involving the heart and blood vessels are serious; regular medical care can help prevent complications of cardiovascular disease like heart attacks and strokes.

The most common types of cardiovascular disease include high blood pressure (hypertension), coronary artery disease, peripheral artery disease, arrhythmia, and congestive heart failure.

At Dr. Lending's office and/or nearby Testing and Imaging Centers, we utilize a number of diagnostic tools to assess, prevent, and manage your cardiovascular risks, including:

• Cardiac Stress Tests– Measures the heart's ability to respond to stress in a controlled environment. It is typically done by walking on a treadmill or riding a stationary bicycle while your heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing are monitored. Patients are connected to an electrocardiogram (EKG) machine during the test.
• Electrocardiogram (EKG)– Measures the electrical activity of the heart. Electrodes are painlessly attached with a gel to the chest, arms, and legs. Patients are either asked to lie still on a table during the test or, in the case of a cardiac stress test, to exercise on a treadmill or stationary bike. Heart activity is recorded and graphed for a doctor to interpret.
• Holter Monitor– Essentially a portable EKG that you wear, this device continuously records the electrical activity of your heart for a one or two-day period while you go about your daily activities. It is used to identify abnormal heart functioning, such as cardiac arrhythmia, palpitations, or insufficient blood flow to your heart.
• Echocardiogram (echo)– Uses ultrasound to evaluate the heart's structure, function, and blood flow. It is performed to check for heart disease and heart murmurs, as well as to assess heart function for those who have had a heart attack.

Diabetes is a growing health problem, and complications from diabetes rank among the top 10 causes of death in the US. Approximately 30 percent of Americans have type 2 diabetes or prediabetes - that's more than 100 million people according to of a 2017 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Diabetes is a condition that occurs when your blood sugar (glucose) levels are too high. Glucose is needed to fuel your body's cells, but too much can seriously damage the nerves, kidneys, heart, eyes, feet, and more.

There are two main types of diabetes, and they differ by how glucose levels become elevated.

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder in which the immune system destroys the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, and your body is no longer able to produce insulin.

In the most common form of diabetes, type 2 diabetes, your body either does not make enough insulin to regulate your blood glucose or does not properly respond to insulin. It is considered a metabolic disorder.

Type 2 diabetes develops slowly, and many people are unaware they have the disease. When symptoms do start to occur, they may include increased thirst and urination, increase in appetite, blurry vision, extreme fatigue, slow-healing wounds and frequent infections, and tingling, pain, or numbness in the hands and feet. If you experience any of these symptoms, you need to be checked by a doctor.

At the medical offices of Robert E. Lending, MD, we screen, counsel, and help patients manage diabetes.

Lipids are fats in the blood, such as cholesterol and triglycerides. "Lipid disorder" is typically used to describe high levels of these particular substances.

The type of cholesterol involved is LDL (low-density lipoprotein), which is often referred to as the "bad cholesterol" because it can build up in the arteries, block blood flow, and cause a heart attack or stroke.

There are many different ways to manage or treat lipid disorders. As a Board-Certified Clinical Lipidologist, Dr. Robert E. Lending specializes in treating high cholesterol through medications, counseling for lifestyle changes (healthier diet and more exercise), and more.

Metabolic evaluations, typically in the form of a comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP) blood test, can detect cholesterol or triglyceride imbalances. It can also identify anemia or iron deficiency, hepatitis, and decreased liver and kidney function. Depending on what is discovered, there are any number of self-care, prescription, and other therapies that can treat your condition.

Dr. Lending accepts referrals for patients needing expert care for a lipid disorder. This medical service is separate from his concierge practice.

Obesity is a risk factor for many health conditions, including:

• Cancer
• Diabetes
• Gallstones
• Heart disease
• High blood pressure
• Kidney disease
• Liver disease
• Osteoarthritis
• Sleep apnea
• Stroke

There are definite metabolic complications associated with obesity. Metabolic processes are those chemical transformations that take place in the body, such as converting food to energy, converting food into building blocks for the body, and elimination of waste. When normal metabolism or metabolic functioning is disrupted, it is known as a metabolic disorder. A cluster of these abnormalities associated with the development of medical conditions like type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease is called Metabolic Syndrome. At Dr. Lending's office, we specialize in helping patients manage and treat obesity, especially those with metabolic complications.

As you age, your lung function naturally decreases. You become more susceptible to respiratory disorders such as bronchitis, pneumonia, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), especially if you have ever smoked. To help diagnose lung disease, Dr. Lending performs pulmonary function tests in the office.

These noninvasive tests evaluate how well the lungs are working by measuring lung volume, capacity, rate of airflow, and gas exchange. For example, a spirometry breathing test measures the amount and speed of air that can be inhaled and exhaled. It is used to diagnose asthma, COPD, and more.