Some changes made in the heart and blood vessels are normal due to age. But there are still other factors that may need to be considered.

The right side of the heart pumps blood to the lungs to receive oxygen then gets rid of carbon dioxide. The left side pumps oxygen-rich blood to the body.

Blood flows from the heart through the arteries; they branch out and get smaller. The smaller they go they get to the tissue. In the tissues, they become capillaries.

Capillaries carry oxygen and nutrients to the tissues, and receive carbon dioxide and wastes back from the tissues. Then, the vessels begin to collect together into larger and larger veins, which return blood to the right side of the heart

Aging causes changes in the heart and in the body.. Heart and blood vessel diseases are some of the most common in the elderly.

Aging also causes the heart to beat slower, an increase in the size of the heart. The heart muscle cells degenerate slightly. The valves inside the heart, which control the direction of blood flow, thicken and become stiffer. A heart murmur caused by valve stiffness is also common in the elderly.