A noncommunicable disease (NCD) is a type of disease that cannot be transmitted from person to person through any form of contact. However, some of these non contagious diseases have a high mortality rate.
The death rate from non-communicable diseases are high. Based on data from the WHO in 2018, there are estimated to be about 41 million people who die from non transmittable diseases each year. The data show that nearly 71% of deaths worldwide are caused by non-communicable diseases.
What is non communicable disease?
Noncommunicable diseases or NCD is also known as chronic diseases that tend to last a long time, but become one of the highest causes of death.
Reported by the WHO, NCD disproportionately affects people in low- and middle-income countries.
In addition, the disease is also often suffered by people living in vulnerable communities where access to health care is still lacking. The main types of diseases are not contagious, among them cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, chronic obstructive, and diabetes.
Some of these diseases are caused by a variety of factors, such as unplanned rapid urbanization, unhealthy lifestyles, and aging. Unhealthy diets and lack of physical activity can increase blood pressure, glucose, blood fats, and obesity.
The non communicable Diseases (NCD) are:
- The disease is not transmitted from person to person, whose development runs slowly over a long period of time (chronic).
- Diseases not caused by germ infections include degenerative chronic diseases, including Heart disease, Stroke, Diabetes Mellitus, Cancer, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, injuries and sensory and functional disorders.
- Diseases caused by unhealthy behaviors and environments.
Noncommunicable diseases risk factors
There are several factors that can increase the risk of non transmittable diseases, among them genetic or hereditary factors, old age, as well as environmental factors, such as pollution.
In addition, non-communicable diseases are also more at risk from people with unhealthy lifestyles, for example:
- Lack of exercise
- Smo**king habits
- Alco**hol consumption
- Unhealthy diets, such as fast food consumption habits, foods high in cholesterol, salt and sugar, and lack of consumption of vegetables and fruit.
Non communicable disease types
Types of NCD (Noncommunicable Diseases) include:
Hypertension
Hypertension is increased blood pressure that can cause damage to other organs; kidney (renal failure), heart (coronary heart disease) and brain (causing a stroke).
Hypertension or high blood pressure is a common disease. Hypertension is also referred to as a silent killer, as it is often symptomless.
To prevent hypertension, regular blood pressure checks are the most effective way to monitor your blood pressure.
Stroke
Stroke is the condition when the blood supply to the brain is cut off due to blockage or rupture of blood vessels in the brain, resulting in the death of cells in some areas of the brain.
Heart failure
Heart failure is a condition where the heart valve cannot pump blood throughout the body properly. Heart failure doesn’t mean your heart stops working in its entirety, but rather the conditions at work of the heart weaken so it’s not optimal.
Signs of a person having heart failure are shortness of breath after heavy activity, feeling tired faster, swollen ankles, dizziness, and heart beating fast.
Cancer
- Breast Cancer; the presence of malignant tumors growing inside the breast tissue.
- Cervical Cancer; abnormal growth of cells in the cervix.
5 Other Noncommunicable Diseases:
- Obesity; overweight from ideal weight.
- Diabetes; metabolic disorder disease due to the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or the body cannot use insulin produced effectively.
- Heart Disease; coronary heart disease occurs in the coronary artery.
- Asthma; abnormalities in the form of chronic inflammation of the airways that cause narrowing of the airways.
- COPD; Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, the presence of airflow obstruction in the airways that cannot fully return to normal.
Thank you very much for reading Noncommunicable Disease: Definition, Risk Factors, and Types, hopefully useful.
