Common Chronic Diseases and Cellular Processes Explained
Common Chronic Diseases and Cellular Processes
Asthma
Asthma is defined as a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways that makes them narrow, swell, and ultimately leads to shortness of breath, chest pain, and cough.
Causes
- Air pollution
- Smoking
- Weather changes
- Exposure to cold air
- Anxiety, stress, dust, etc.
Symptoms
- Shortness of breath
- Chest pain
- Wheezing
- Coughing
- Anxiety
- Paleness
- Sweating
Parkinson’s Disease
It is named after the British physician Dr. James Parkinson. It is a chronic and progressive neurologic disorder characterized by loss of control of movement. It occurs when approximately 70% of the dopamine-producing cells are damaged.
Causes
The major cause of PD is the degeneration of brain cells.
Symptoms
- Tremors
- Slowed movement
- Rigid muscles
- Speech changes
- Bladder problems
- Pain
- Fatigue, etc.
Alzheimer’s Disease
Alzheimer’s disease was first introduced by Alois Alzheimer in 1907. It is a chronic neurodegenerative disease characterized by impairment of memory, disturbance in reasoning, planning, and language perception. It results from an enhancement in the production of a specific protein called beta-amyloid in the brain that leads to nerve cell death.
Causes
It is mainly caused by the abnormal build-up of proteins.
Symptoms
- Loss of memory
- Depression
- Apraxia
- Inability to care
Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a systemic skeletal disease characterized by low bone mass and microarchitectural deterioration of bone tissue, with a consequent increase in bone fragility that leads to fracture. Osteoporosis causes bone to become weak and brittle.
Causes
- Menopause in females
- Arthritis
- Genetic factors
Symptoms
- Back pain
- Loss of height
- Immobility
- Depression
- Intense pain
- Redness
- Swelling
Gout
Gout is a metabolic disorder of purine metabolism, characterized by intermittent attacks of acute pain, swelling, and inflammation. It is preceded by hyperuricemia.
Causes
- Uric acid under-secretion
- Obesity
- Diabetes
- Hypertension, etc.
Symptoms
- Redness
- Swelling
- Heat
- Pain during the night
Tuberculosis
According to the WHO, Tuberculosis is the most prevalent infectious disease worldwide and a leading killer, causing at least 3 million deaths annually. It mainly affects the lungs.
Causes
Caused by Mycobacterium Tuberculosis.
Symptoms
- Coughing blood
- Fever
- Chest pain
- Night sweats
- Weight loss
UTI (Urinary Tract Infection)
A condition in which bacteria invade and grow in the urinary tract. It can occur in any part of your urinary system, e.g., kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra.
Causes
It is mainly caused by bacteria called Escherichia coli.
Symptoms
- Persistent urge of urination
- Burning
- Bleeding, etc.
Inflammation
Inflammation can be simply defined as a protective response of the body’s immune system against injury. It can also be defined as a process by which our body’s white blood cells protect us from infections with foreign particles.
Cell Injury & Causes of Cell Injury
Cell injury is defined as the effect of a variety of stresses that cause changes in the cell’s internal as well as external environment. There are basically two types of causes behind cell injury.
Genetic Causes
- Developmental Defect
- Cytogenic Defect
- Single Gene Defect
- Multifunctional Inheritance Disorder
CHF (Congestive Heart Failure)
CHF is a serious condition mainly characterized by a reduction in the heart’s pumping capacity. When a heart fails to pump blood in a quantity sufficient to fulfill the body’s requirement, then the condition is known as Congestive Heart Failure (CHF).
Causes
Narrowing of arteries, ischemic heart disease, hypertension, smoking, obesity, diabetes, stress, alcohol, etc.
Symptoms
- Chest pain
- Fatigue
- Irregular heartbeat
- Blood in urine
- Headaches
- Dry cough, etc.
Acute & Chronic Renal Failure
Renal Failure is defined as a significant loss of renal function in both kidneys to the point where less than 10-20% of normal Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR) remains. Renal Failure can be further subdivided into two types.