7 Most Deadly Diseases - Causes and Prevention - Heart disease, stroke, and cancer are three of the many deadly diseases that can affect anyone and anytime. Many people think that these diseases can no longer be treated and are just waiting to die. But the fact is not so! Among the list of deadly diseases that we have summarized below, you can still find treatment and prevention.
Even so, it would be better if you had never dealt with these diseases, both symptoms and early signs. But still you have to know the types, so you know the risk factors and are able to avoid them. And if it's getting hit, maybe you can reduce the risk as early as possible.
Quoted from the World Health Organization (WHO), here are 7 deadly diseases worldwide.
Ischemic Heart Disease, or Coronary Heart Disease
Coronary heart disease has entered the list of the world's deadliest diseases. Known also as ischemic heart disease, this condition occurs when the blood vessels that supply blood to the heart become narrowed. If left untreated, it will cause chest pain, heart failure, and arrhythmias.
Some risk factors for coronary heart disease include:
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Smoke
- Family history of coronary heart disease
- Diabetes
- Overweight
While some steps you can take to reduce the risk of ischemic heart disease include:
- Exercise regularly
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Consume foods that are low in sodium
- Increase intake of fruits and vegetables
- Avoid smoking
- Avoid alcoholic beverages
Stroke
A stroke occurs when an artery in your brain is blocked or leaked. This can cause brain cells that lack oxygen to start to die within minutes. When a stroke occurs, you will feel numbness and confusion, or difficulty in walking and seeing. If not treated as soon as possible, a stroke can cause disability in the long run. A woman tends to have a greater risk of stroke.
Some of the causes you can get a stroke include:
- High blood pressure
- A family history of a stroke
- Smoking, especially if accompanied by use of oral contraceptives
- African-American race
Some ways to prevent that you can do can be to regulate high blood pressure with drugs or surgery. You must also maintain a healthy lifestyle complete with regular exercise activities as well as a low sodium diet. Also avoid smoking and consuming alcoholic beverages because these two habits are proven to increase your risk of stroke.
Lower respiratory tract infections
Lower respiratory tract infection is an infection that occurs in your airways and lungs. The cause can be influenza or flu, pneumonia, bronchitis, or tuberculosis. Certain viruses also usually become the root behind the cause of this one infection. When this condition occurs, you may feel shortness of breath, wheezing, and a feeling of tightness in your chest. If left untreated, this infection has the potential to cause respiratory failure and death.
Some of the causes of your lower respiratory tract infections include:
- Flu
- Poor air quality, or frequent exposure to lung irritation
- Smoke
- Weak immune system
- Asthma
- HIV
One of the best prevention you can take to fight the lower respiratory tract infections is to get flu shot each year. People who have a high risk of developing pneumonia must also always get a vaccine. Do not forget to always wash your hands regularly with soap and clean water to avoid bacterial spread, especially before touching the face and food.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a long-term progressive lung disease that makes it difficult for you to breathe. Chronic bronchitis and emphysema belong to the type of COPD. In 2004 alone, approximately 64 million people worldwide suffered from this disease.
Some of your risk factors for COPD include:
- Smoking and passive smoking
- Lung irritation is like chemical smoke
- Family history
- A history of respiratory infections while still a child
Unfortunately, there is no cure for COPD, but its development can still be slowed by drugs. The best way to prevent you from getting COPD is to stop smoking and avoid cigarette smoke around you.
Trachea, Bronchus and Lung Cancer
Several types of respiratory cancers such as tracheal cancer, laryngeal cancer, bronchial cancer, and lung cancer are mostly caused by smoking, being passive smokers, and environmental toxins resulting from factory waste. But household pollution still contributes to this deadly disease.
A study in 2015 reported that respiratory cancers account for about 4 million deaths annually. In developing countries like Indonesia, researchers project an increase of around 81 to 100 percent in respiratory cancers due to air pollution and cigarette smoke.
Tracheal, bronchial, and lung cancers can reach anyone, but the highest risk is those who like to smoke. Other risk factors are family history and environmental factors such as diesel smoke. The only prevention you can do right now is to stop smoking and avoid tobacco smoke.
Diabetes mellitusDiabetes is a group of diseases that affect insulin production and its use. In type-1 diabetes, your pancreas will not be able to produce insulin, and the cause is still unknown. As for type 2 diabetes, your pancreas does not produce enough insulin, or insulin is not able to be used properly.
Some of your risk factors for type 2 diabetes include:
- Overweight
- High blood pressure
- Age factor
- Lazy exercise regularly
- Poor diet
Although diabetes is not always preventable, you can still adjust the severity of symptoms by exercising regularly and getting good nutrition. Adding more fiber to your diet can also help regulate your blood sugar levels.
Alzheimer's and Other Dementia Diseases
You might think that Alzheimer's disease or dementia is just a disease that makes a person lose memory. But the symptoms and effects do not stop there. Alzheimer's disease itself is a progressive disease that destroys memory and disrupts normal mental function. This means that some of your abilities including thinking, reasoning, and typical behavior will cease to function.
As for some of your risk factors for Alzheimer's disease are:
- More than 65 years old
- Family history with Alzheimer's disease
- Genetic factors
- Have mild cognitive impairment
- Down Syndrome
- Unhealthy lifestyle
- A woman tends to have a greater risk
- Have experienced head trauma before
- Loner and become antisocial
One thing you can do to help reduce your risk of getting this terrible disease is by having a healthy diet. A diet high in fruits and vegetables, and reduce the intake of foods that contain saturated fats from meat and dairy products, and increase the intake of healthy fats from nuts, olive oil, and fish can help you reduce the risk of developing Azheimer disease, as well helps keep your brain exposed to the disease.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a long-term progressive lung disease that makes it difficult for you to breathe. Chronic bronchitis and emphysema belong to the type of COPD. In 2004 alone, approximately 64 million people worldwide suffered from this disease.
Some of your risk factors for COPD include:
Smoking and passive smoking
Lung irritation is like chemical smoke
Family history
A history of respiratory infections while still a child
Unfortunately, there is no cure for COPD, but its development can still be slowed by drugs. The best way to prevent you from getting COPD is to stop smoking and avoid cigarette smoke around you.
Trachea, Bronchus and Lung Cancer
Several types of respiratory cancers such as tracheal cancer, laryngeal cancer, bronchial cancer, and lung cancer are mostly caused by smoking, being passive smokers, and environmental toxins resulting from factory waste. But household pollution still contributes to this deadly disease.
A study in 2015 reported that respiratory cancers account for about 4 million deaths annually. In developing countries like Indonesia, researchers project an increase of around 81 to 100 percent in respiratory cancers due to air pollution and cigarette smoke.
Tracheal, bronchial, and lung cancers can reach anyone, but the highest risk is those who like to smoke. Other risk factors are family history and environmental factors such as diesel smoke. The only prevention you can do right now is to stop smoking and avoid tobacco smoke.
Diabetes mellitus
Diabetes is a group of diseases that affect insulin production and its use. In type-1 diabetes, your pancreas will not be able to produce insulin, and the cause is still unknown. As for type 2 diabetes, your pancreas does not produce enough insulin, or insulin is not able to be used properly.
Some of your risk factors for type 2 diabetes include:
Overweight
High blood pressure
Age factor
Lazy exercise regularly
Poor diet
Although diabetes is not always preventable, you can still adjust the severity of symptoms by exercising regularly and getting good nutrition. Adding more fiber to your diet can also help regulate your blood sugar levels.
Alzheimer's and Other Dementia Diseases
You might think that Alzheimer's disease or dementia is just a disease that makes a person lose memory. But the symptoms and effects do not stop there. Alzheimer's disease itself is a progressive disease that destroys memory and disrupts normal mental function. This means that some of your abilities including thinking, reasoning, and typical behavior will cease to function.
As for some of your risk factors for Alzheimer's disease are:
More than 65 years old
Family history with Alzheimer's disease
Genetic factors
Have mild cognitive impairment
Down Syndrome
Unhealthy lifestyle
A woman tends to have a greater risk
Have experienced head trauma before
Loner and become antisocial
One thing you can do to help reduce your risk of getting this terrible disease is by having a healthy diet. A diet high in fruits and vegetables, and reduce the intake of foods that contain saturated fats from meat and dairy products, and increase the intake of healthy fats from nuts, olive oil, and fish can help you reduce the risk of developing Azheimer disease, as well helps keep your brain exposed to the disease.
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