IPH lecture 3 Noncommunicable diseases and Injuries
Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) (Group II)
Also known as chronic/complex/degenerative/lifestyle diseases. Cannot be spread from person to person by
an infectious agent, even if they might be associated with one (sometimes a disease might be chronic but not
an NCD. Ex. HIV is a virus/infectious disease but people are able to live with it for long periods of time rather
than die not an NCD tho!!) . They tend to last a long time and you generally have to live with them for the
rest of your life and are the result of a combination of genetic, physiological, environmental and behavioral
factors. Constitute the largest burden of disease worldwide.
Characteristics of NCD:
- Long latency (it might take a while before you show symptoms even though you’re sick)
- Complex (a lot of factors at play)
- Emerge in middle-age and later life
- High degree of preventability (of course NCDs are a result of multiple factors, but some factors can be
prevented)
- Long period of treatment and care
- Comorbidity (the existence of 2 NCDs ex. having high blood pressure and diabetes)
- Strong link to socio-economic development (NCDs seem to occur due to socio-economic transitions)
5 Main NCDs:
1. Cardiovascular diseases
Conditions that involve narrowed or blocked blood vessels that can lead to a heart attack, chest pain (angina)
or stroke.
Many symptoms of CVDs are hard to detect because they’re generally not unusual on their own (lack of
energy, difficulty sleeping) or they can also indicate something else. Men and women experience CVDs
differently, which also has an effect on detection.
Burden of CVD:
- Ischemic heart disease and stroke referred to as CVD makes up 27% of global deaths
- Ischemic heart disease is the LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH globally for all age groups and both sexes.
- Because there is limited access to prevention programs or appropriate treatment, deaths from CVD
generally occur earlier in life in low- and middle- income countries than in high-income countries.
Risk factors:
o Hypertension
o Medical history (not modifiable)
o Ethnicity
o Tobacco
o High cholesterol
o Lack of physical activity
o Alcohol
2. Diabetes
Diabetes is a chronic disease caused by inherited and/or acquired deficiency in production of insulin by the
pancreas, or by the ineffectiveness of the insulin produced
Type 1 (generally developed below the age of 30)(bad luck)
Type 2 (MOST COMMON type of diabetes. The body is in able to respond properly to the
action of insulin)
Gestational diabetes (developed during pregnancy)
Burden of Diabetes:
- About 80% of all deaths from diabetes are in low- and middle-income countries (one of the key things
in managing type 2 diabetes is nutrition so what sort of food people have access to is a big factor. And
NCD is require a lot of care, if there isn’t access to adequate health system, risk of complications
increase)
Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) (Group II)
Also known as chronic/complex/degenerative/lifestyle diseases. Cannot be spread from person to person by
an infectious agent, even if they might be associated with one (sometimes a disease might be chronic but not
an NCD. Ex. HIV is a virus/infectious disease but people are able to live with it for long periods of time rather
than die not an NCD tho!!) . They tend to last a long time and you generally have to live with them for the
rest of your life and are the result of a combination of genetic, physiological, environmental and behavioral
factors. Constitute the largest burden of disease worldwide.
Characteristics of NCD:
- Long latency (it might take a while before you show symptoms even though you’re sick)
- Complex (a lot of factors at play)
- Emerge in middle-age and later life
- High degree of preventability (of course NCDs are a result of multiple factors, but some factors can be
prevented)
- Long period of treatment and care
- Comorbidity (the existence of 2 NCDs ex. having high blood pressure and diabetes)
- Strong link to socio-economic development (NCDs seem to occur due to socio-economic transitions)
5 Main NCDs:
1. Cardiovascular diseases
Conditions that involve narrowed or blocked blood vessels that can lead to a heart attack, chest pain (angina)
or stroke.
Many symptoms of CVDs are hard to detect because they’re generally not unusual on their own (lack of
energy, difficulty sleeping) or they can also indicate something else. Men and women experience CVDs
differently, which also has an effect on detection.
Burden of CVD:
- Ischemic heart disease and stroke referred to as CVD makes up 27% of global deaths
- Ischemic heart disease is the LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH globally for all age groups and both sexes.
- Because there is limited access to prevention programs or appropriate treatment, deaths from CVD
generally occur earlier in life in low- and middle- income countries than in high-income countries.
Risk factors:
o Hypertension
o Medical history (not modifiable)
o Ethnicity
o Tobacco
o High cholesterol
o Lack of physical activity
o Alcohol
2. Diabetes
Diabetes is a chronic disease caused by inherited and/or acquired deficiency in production of insulin by the
pancreas, or by the ineffectiveness of the insulin produced
Type 1 (generally developed below the age of 30)(bad luck)
Type 2 (MOST COMMON type of diabetes. The body is in able to respond properly to the
action of insulin)
Gestational diabetes (developed during pregnancy)
Burden of Diabetes:
- About 80% of all deaths from diabetes are in low- and middle-income countries (one of the key things
in managing type 2 diabetes is nutrition so what sort of food people have access to is a big factor. And
NCD is require a lot of care, if there isn’t access to adequate health system, risk of complications
increase)
