5.12: Noncommunicable Diseases
- Page ID
- 116235
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What do you know about these common diseases?
Diseases of the Heart and Blood Vessels
- Coronary heart disease - a chronic disease characterized by damage to the coronary arteries in the heart
- Aterosclerosis - a narrowing of the blood vessels
- Cerebro-vascular disease (stroke) - a chronic disease characterized by damage to blood vessels of the brain resulting in disruption of circulation to the brain
Other Noncommunicable Diseases
- Malignant neoplasms (cancer) - uncontrolled new tissue growth resulting from cells that have lost control over their growth and division
- Metastasis = the spread of cancer cells to distant parts of the body by the circulatory or lymphatic system
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and allied conditions
- Diabetes mellitus
- Chronic liver disease and cirrhosis
- Some psychological disorders like depression are also considered to be chronic noncommunicable diseases, as are some addictions
Prevention and control of heart disease, cancer, strokes and other noncommunicable diseases are of urgent concern in the United States and around the world.
Indeed, while malaria, TB, HIV and other infectious diseases are still a serious problem, noncommunicable diseases are on the rise and have surpassed infectious diseases as the leading causes of death worldwide. (Exception: the Covid-19 pandemic has been a leading cause of death in 2020-2022, at least.)
Reducing heart disease incidence and deaths are among the great public health achievements of the 20th and 21st centuries.
This 5-minute video from APHA discusses heart disease, why it is so prevalent, and what we can do about it:
This infographic below from the World Health Organization shows the connection between the social determinants of health, the risk factors for chronic diseases (especially the modifiable ones), the intermediate risk factors (or precursors to disease), and the main chronic diseases. One positive thing about understanding a model like this one is that a single prevention effort can reduce the rates of many chronic diseases. For example, reducing tobacco use reduces lung cancer, but it also reduces at least 30 other kinds of cancer and the #1 killer worldwide, heart disease. Improving access to healthy food and physical activity reduces rates of diabetes, cancer, stroke, heart disease, arthritis, kidney disease, and more. Prevention efforts can really pay off!
