One of the most critical issues you should worry about is your health. In this pandemic, people who have pre-existing conditions are more vulnerable to the coronavirus because of weak immunity. It makes it even more essential for us to take care of our health and closely monitor ourselves to spot any symptoms. You should regularly go for checkups and take precautions. To have more knowledge about some diseases that are leading causes of death, read this article.
Heart Diseases
Heart diseases are the leading cause of death among American adults. Heart diseases are an umbrella term used for different disorders ranging from blocked arteries to rhythm disturbances. Risk factors for getting heart diseases are male gender, age over 55, smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, and family history of heart diseases. Symptoms of heart disease include chest pain or discomfort occurring with exercise. If left untreated, it can occur at rest as well. Other symptoms include shortness of breath, nausea, and palpitations, etc. Heart disease can be prevented by eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly, avoiding junk food and a sedentary lifestyle, and getting treatment for risk factors like diabetes and hypertension.
Cancer
Cancer is the second most common cause of death in adults. Cancer is an uncontrolled proliferation of cells that can occur in any part of the human body, but the lungs, colon, skin, breast, and prostate(men only) are affected most frequently. The symptoms vary depending on the type, but most cancers cause weight loss, fatigue, and poor appetite.
Lung cancers can show symptoms of cough, blood in sputum, and shortness of breath. Colon cancer can present as irregular bowel movements, abdominal pain, and blood in the stool. Breast cancer can present as a painless lump; skin cancers can present as a mole that is changing in size or color. Many cancers do not show any symptoms at all and are only identified on screening tests. This is especially true for colon and breast cancers, and it is recommended to undergo colonoscopy and mammography when recommended by your doctor.
Respiratory Diseases
Chronic respiratory diseases such as emphysema are a common cause of death in older adults. These diseases are usually caused by smoking. Smoking causes lung damage resulting in coughing, breathlessness, and low exercise tolerance. Since the lung damage is slow and progressive, it can take years for the symptoms to show up, but this damage is irreversible. Emphysema is a progressive disease, and many individuals need oxygen cylinders to help with their breathing, which significantly affects their quality of life. These patients are often vulnerable to getting lung infections and require vaccines to reduce their risk. The best way to prevent developing chronic respiratory diseases is to quit smoking.
Stroke
A stroke occurs due to blockage of blood flow to the brain. The brain needs a tremendous amount of oxygen and nutrients to function, and therefore any obstruction to blood flow can result in the death of brain tissue within minutes. Strokes can have different symptoms depending on the area of the brain affected but most commonly cause slurring of speech, weakness/paralysis of arms or legs on one side of the body, drooping of the face on one side, and confusion. It can also lead to falls and fractures. Strokes most commonly occur in people with underlying hypertension, diabetes, and obesity, just like heart diseases. It is important to get people to the hospital as soon as possible because timely intervention can restore brain function. Stroke can be prevented by eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly, taking medications for high blood pressure and diabetes, etc.
The diseases mentioned above are the leading causes of death in the United States. It is essential to take care of your health. You can do so by getting an excellent health insurance policy quote that gives you coverage in this regard. With a health insurance policy, you will get the chance of free screening and other tests that can help with early diagnosis and better treat the diseases.