Uncovering the mysteries of chronic diseases: common types and the root causes

Uncovering the secrets of chronic diseases: common types and the “culprits” behind them

Author: Zhang Yucai, deputy chief physician of Qihe County Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital

Chronic disease, this word appears frequently in our lives. It is like an invisible "health killer", quietly eroding people's health. So, what are the common types of chronic diseases, and what are the "culprits" of their onset? Let us unveil the mystery of chronic diseases together.

Common types of chronic diseases

Cardiovascular disease

Cardiovascular disease is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, including coronary heart disease, hypertension, heart failure, etc. Coronary heart disease is a disease caused by coronary atherosclerosis leading to stenosis or blockage of blood vessels, resulting in myocardial ischemia, hypoxia or necrosis. Under the premise of not taking antihypertensive drugs, if the systolic blood pressure is ≥140 mmHg or the diastolic blood pressure is ≥90 mmHg, hypertension can be diagnosed. Heart failure is a serious manifestation or terminal stage of various heart diseases, and patients will experience symptoms such as dyspnea, fatigue, and edema.

diabetes

Diabetes is a metabolic disease characterized by high blood sugar. Long-term high blood sugar can lead to chronic damage and dysfunction of various tissues, especially the eyes, kidneys, heart, blood vessels, and nerves. Diabetes is divided into type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, gestational diabetes, etc. Among them, type 2 diabetes is the most common and is often related to factors such as genetics, obesity, and lack of exercise.

Chronic respiratory diseases

Chronic respiratory diseases mainly include chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, etc. COPD is a chronic bronchitis and/or emphysema characterized by airflow limitation. Patients often show symptoms such as cough, sputum, and shortness of breath. As the disease gradually worsens, these symptoms will significantly affect daily life. Asthma is a chronic airway inflammation involving multiple cells, especially mast cells, eosinophils, and T lymphocytes. Patients will experience recurrent symptoms such as wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, or coughing.

cancer

Cancer is a general term for a large class of diseases. Every year, there are about 3.8 million new cancer cases and 2.29 million deaths in my country. Common cancers include lung cancer, stomach cancer, liver cancer, esophageal cancer, colorectal cancer, etc. The occurrence of cancer is a long and complex process. Multiple factors work together to cause normal cells to transform into cancer cells.

The main culprit of chronic diseases

Unhealthy lifestyle

An unhealthy lifestyle is one of the main causes of chronic diseases. A diet high in salt, sugar, fat, and fiber can lead to obesity, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, high blood lipids, and other health problems, and increase the risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Lack of exercise can reduce body function, slow metabolism, and easily lead to various chronic diseases. Long-term smoking and excessive drinking are also important risk factors for chronic diseases. Smoking can lead to lung cancer, cardiovascular disease, and other diseases, while excessive drinking can increase the risk of liver cancer, stomach cancer, and other cancers.

Genetic factors

Genetic factors also play an important role in the occurrence of chronic diseases. Some chronic diseases have obvious familial clustering, such as hypertension, diabetes, coronary heart disease, etc. If there are patients with these diseases in the family, the individual's risk of getting the disease will be relatively high. This is mainly because genetic factors affect the physiological functions and metabolic processes of the human body, making individuals more susceptible to adverse external factors and becoming ill.

Environmental factors

Environmental factors also have an impact on the occurrence of chronic diseases that cannot be ignored. Long-term exposure to polluted environments, such as air pollution and water pollution, will increase the risk of chronic diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease. Harmful substances in the air, such as PM2.5 and sulfur dioxide, will irritate the respiratory tract, cause chronic respiratory diseases, and affect the cardiovascular system through blood circulation. In addition, psychological factors such as high work pressure and mental stress can also lead to the occurrence of chronic diseases. Long-term high pressure will reduce the function of the human immune system and endocrine disorders, thereby causing various chronic diseases.

The prevention and control of chronic diseases requires us to start from many aspects, change unhealthy lifestyles, strengthen genetic counseling and monitoring, and improve environmental quality. Only in this way can we effectively reduce the incidence of chronic diseases and improve people's quality of life. Let us take action to jointly resist the invasion of chronic diseases and protect our health.