Health

• Non-communicable diseases (NCDs)


  A diverse group of chronic diseases that are not communicable, meaning you can't catch them from another person. They are defined as diseases of long duration; generally slow progression and they are the major cause of adult mortality and morbidity worldwide.
• Main types of NCDs

  • Cardiovascular diseases (such as heart attacks and stroke)
  • Cancers
  • Chronic respiratory diseases (such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma)
  • Diabetes
• People of all age groups, regions and countries are affected by NCDs
• These conditions are often associated with older age groups
• Children, adults and the elderly are all vulnerable to the risk factors contributing to NCDs, whether from unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, exposure to tobacco smoke or the harmful use of alcohol
• NCDs are driven by forces that include rapid unplanned urbanization, globalization of unhealthy lifestyles and population ageing
• Unhealthy diets and a lack of physical activity may show up in people as raised blood pressure, increased blood glucose, elevated blood lipids and obesity
• Metabolic risk factors


  Can lead to cardiovascular disease, the leading NCD in terms of premature deaths
• Types of allergies


  • Respiratory allergies
  • Food allergies
  • Skin allergies
  • Medicine allergies
  • Others (eye allergies, allergic conjunctivitis, insect allergies)
• Respiratory allergies


  Triggered by tiny particles or substances in the air found both indoors and outdoors that are inhaled by humans, causing inflammation and swelling in the airway
• Allergic rhinitis


  A chronic respiratory condition that falls under respiratory allergies, often characterized by repetitive sneezing, the sniffles, itching in the nose, and watery eyes
• Food allergies


  Caused by an adverse reaction to certain foods, with symptoms ranging from mild to life-threatening
• Most common food allergies

  • Shellfish
  • Eggs
  • Tree nuts
  • Peanuts
  • Wheat
  • Soy
  • Fish
• Skin allergies


  Caused by allergens coming in contact with the skin, resulting in reactions like itchy rash, bumps, patches, or welts
• Medicine allergies


  Negative side effects brought about by the properties and ingredients of the medicine taken
• There are some types of allergies that don't belong in the main categories, like eye allergies and insect allergies
• Asthma


  A condition in which the airways narrow and swell and may produce extra mucus, making breathing difficult and triggering coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath
• Asthma symptoms


  • Shortness of breath
  • Chest tightness or pain
  • Wheezing when exhaling
  • Trouble sleeping caused by shortness of breath, coughing or wheezing
  • Coughing or wheezing attacks worsened by a respiratory virus
• Signs that asthma is worsening


  • Asthma signs and symptoms that are more frequent and bothersome
  • Increasing difficulty breathing
  • The need to use a quick-relief inhaler more often
• Situations that can worsen asthma

  • Exercise-induced asthma
  • Occupational asthma
  • Allergy-induced asthma
• Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs)


  A group of disorders of the heart and blood vessels, including coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, peripheral arterial disease, rheumatic heart disease, and congenital heart disease
• Heart attacks and strokes are usually acute events and are mainly caused by a blockage that prevents blood from flowing to the heart or brain, often due to a build-up of fatty deposits on the inner walls of the blood vessels
• Risk factors for cardiovascular disease

  • Unhealthy diet
  • Physical inactivity
  • Tobacco use
  • Harmful use of alcohol
  • Raised blood pressure
  • Raised blood glucose
  • Raised blood lipids
  • Overweight and obesity
• Symptoms of heart attacks

  • Pain or discomfort in the center of the chest
  • Pain or discomfort in the arms, the left shoulder, elbows, jaw, or back
  • Difficulty in breathing or shortness of breath
  • Feeling sick or vomiting
  • Feeling light-headed or faint
  • Breaking into a cold sweat
  • Becoming pale
• Symptoms of strokes


  • Sudden weakness of the face, arm, or leg, most often on one side of the body
  • Numbness of the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body
  • Confusion, difficulty speaking or understanding speech
  • Difficulty seeing with one or both eyes
  • Difficulty walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
  • Severe headache with no known cause
  • Fainting or unconsciousness
• Rheumatic heart disease


  Caused by damage to the heart valves and heart muscle from the inflammation and scarring caused by rheumatic fever, which is an abnormal response of the body to infection with streptococcal bacteria
• Symptoms of rheumatic heart disease

  • Shortness of breath
  • Fatigue
  • Irregular heart beats
  • Chest pain
  • Fainting
• Symptoms of rheumatic fever

  • Fever
  • Pain and swelling of the joints
  • Nausea
  • Stomach cramps
  • Vomiting
• Population-wide interventions to reduce cardiovascular disease burden

  • Comprehensive tobacco control policies
  • Taxation to reduce the intake of foods high in fat, sugar and salt
  • Building walking and cycle paths to increase physical activity
  • Strategies to reduce harmful use of alcohol
  • Providing healthy school meals to children
• Individual health-care interventions need to be targeted to those at high total cardiovascular risk or those with single risk factor levels above traditional thresholds, such as hypertension and hypercholesterolemia
• Cancer


  Refers to any one of a large number of diseases characterized by the development of abnormal cells that divide uncontrollably and have the ability to infiltrate and destroy normal body tissue
• Settings identified by WHO for prevention and control of cardiovascular diseases


  • Population-wide interventions
  • Individual interventions
• Examples of population-wide interventions to reduce CVDs

  • Comprehensive tobacco control policies
  • Taxation to reduce intake of foods high in fat, sugar and salt
  • Building walking and cycle paths to increase physical activity
  • Strategies to reduce harmful use of alcohol
  • Providing healthy school meals to children
• Individual health-care interventions for prevention of first heart attacks and strokes


  Targeted to those at high total cardiovascular risk or those with single risk factor levels above traditional thresholds, such as hypertension and hypercholesterolemia
• The former (targeted) approach is more cost-effective than the latter (single risk factor) and has the potential to substantially reduce cardiovascular disease burden
• Cancer


  Any one of a large number of diseases characterized by the development of abnormal cells that divide uncontrollably and have the ability to infiltrate and destroy normal body tissue. Cancer often has the ability to spread throughout your body.
• Cancer is the second-leading cause of death in the world. But survival rates are improving for many types of cancer, thanks to improvements in cancer screening and cancer treatment.
• General signs and symptoms associated with cancer

  • Fatigue
  • Lump or area of thickening that can be felt under the skin
  • Weight changes, including unintended loss or gain
  • Skin changes, such as yellowing, darkening or redness of the skin, sores that won't heal, or changes to existing moles
  • Changes in bowel or bladder habits
  • Persistent cough or trouble breathing
  • Difficulty swallowing
  • Hoarseness
  • Persistent indigestion or discomfort after eating
  • Persistent, unexplained muscle or joint pain
  • Persistent, unexplained fevers or night sweats
• Causes of cancer


  Changes (mutations) to the DNA within cells. Errors in the instructions can cause the cell to stop its normal function and may allow a cell to become cancerous.
• Ways to reduce cancer risk

  • Stop smoking
  • Avoid excessive sun exposure
  • Eat a healthy diet
  • Exercise most days of the week
  • Maintain a healthy weight
  • Drink alcohol in moderation, if you choose to drink