Non-Communicable Disease

A non-communicable disease, or NCD, is a medical condition or disease that can be defined as non-

infectious and non-transmissible among people. NCDs can refer to chronic diseases which last for
long periods of time and progress slowly. Sometimes, NCDs result in rapid deaths such as seen in
certain types of diseases such as autoimmune diseases, heart diseases, stroke,
most cancers, asthma, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, osteoporosis, Alzheimer's disease
cataracts, and many more. While sometimes (incorrectly) referred to as synonymous with "chronic
diseases", NCDs are distinguished only by their non-infectious cause, not necessarily by their
duration. Some chronic diseases of long duration, such as HIV/AIDS, are caused by
transmittable infections. Chronic diseases require chronic care management as do all diseases that
are slow to develop and of long duration.

Causes and risk factors

Risk factors such as a person's background; lifestyle and environment are known to increase the
likelihood of certain non-communicable diseases. They include age, gender, genetics, exposure
to air pollution, and behaviours such as smoking, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity which can
lead to hypertensionand obesity, in turn leading to increased risk of many NCDs. Most NCDs are
considered preventable because they are caused by modifiable risk factors.

Environmental diseases

NCDs include many environmental diseases covering a broad category of avoidable and
unavoidable human health conditions caused by external factors, such as sunlight, nutrition,
pollution, and lifestyle choices. The diseases of affluence are non-infectious diseases with
environmental causes. Examples include:

 Many types of cardiovascular disease (CVD)

 Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) caused by smoking tobacco
 Diabetes mellitus type 2
 Lower back pain caused by too little exercise
 Malnutrition caused by too little food, or eating the wrong kinds of food (e.g. scurvy from lack
of Vitamin C)
 Skin cancer caused by radiation from the sun
 Obesity

Inherited diseases
Genetic disorders are caused by errors in genetic information that produce diseases in the affected
people. The origin of these genetic errors can be:

 Spontaneous errors or mutations to the genome:

 A change in chromosome numbers, such as Down syndrome.
 A defect in a gene caused by mutation, such as Cystic fibrosis.
 An increase in the amount of genetic information, such as Chimerism or Heterochromia.
Cystic fibrosis is an example of an inherited disease that is caused by a mutation on a gene. The
faulty gene impairs the normal movement of sodium chloride in and out of cells, which causes
 the mucus-secreting organs to produce abnormally thick mucus. The gene is recessive, meaning
that a person must have two copies of the faulty gene for them to develop the disease. Cystic
fibrosis affects the respiratory, digestive and reproductive systems, as well as the sweat glands.
The mucus secreted is very thick and blocks passageways in the lungs and digestive tracts. This
mucus causes problems with breathing and with the digestion and absorption of nutrients.

 Inherited genetic errors from parents:

 Dominant genetic diseases, such as Huntingtons, require the inheritance
of one erroneous gene to be expressed.
 Recessive genetic diseases requires the inheritance of erroneous genes to be expressed
and this is one reason they work together.
Common Non-communicable Disease
1. An allergy is a hypersensitivity disorder of the immune system.[1] Symptoms include red eyes, itchiness,
andrunny nose, eczema, hives, or an asthma attack. Allergies can play a major role in conditions such
as asthma.

2. Asthma (from the Greek ἅσθμα, ásthma, "panting") is a common chronic inflammatory disease of

the airways characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow
obstruction and bronchospasm.[2] Common symptoms include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness,
and shortness of breath. Asthma is thought to be caused by a combination of genetic and environmental
factors.

3. Cardiovascular disease is a class of diseases that involve the heart, the blood

vessels (arteries, capillaries, andveins) or both.[1]

Cardiovascular disease refers to any disease that affects the cardiovascular system, principally cardiac
disease, vascular diseases of the brain and kidney, and peripheral arterial disease.[2] The causes of
cardiovascular disease are diverse but atherosclerosis and hypertension are the most common.

4. Cancer ialso known as a malignant tumor or malignant neoplasm, is a group of diseases involving

abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. [1][2] Not all tumors are
cancerous; benign tumors do not spread to other parts of the body.[2] Possible signs and symptoms include: a
new lump, abnormal bleeding, a prolonged cough, unexplained weight loss, and a change in bowel
movements, among others.[3] While these symptoms may indicate cancer they may also occur due to other
issues.[3] There are over 100 different known cancers that affect humans.

5. Diabetes mellitus (DM), commonly referred to as diabetes, is a group of metabolic diseases in which

there are high blood sugar levels over a prolonged period.[2] Symptoms of high blood sugar include frequent
urination,increased thirst, and increased hunger. If left untreated, diabetes can cause many complications.
[3]
 Acutecomplications include diabetic ketoacidosis and nonketotic hyperosmolar coma.[4] Serious long-term
complications include cardiovascular disease, stroke, kidney failure, foot ulcers and damage to the eyes.
Diabetes is due to either the pancreas not producing enough insulin or the cells of the body not responding
properly to the insulin produced.[5] There are three main types of diabetes mellitus.

6. Arthritis (from Greek arthro-, joint + -itis, inflammation; plural: arthritides) is a form of joint disorder that
involves inflammation of one or more joints.[1][2] There are over 100 different forms of arthritis. [3][4] The most
common form, osteoarthritis (degenerative joint disease), is a result of trauma to the joint, infection of the joint,
or age. Other arthritis forms are rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and relatedautoimmune
diseases. Septic arthritis is caused by joint infection.
The major complaint by individuals who have arthritis is joint pain. Pain is often a constant and may be
localized to the joint affected. The pain from arthritis is due to inflammation that occurs around the joint,
damage to the joint from disease, daily wear and tear of joint, muscle strains caused by forceful movements
against stiff painful joints and fatigue.

7. Renal failure (also kidney failure or renal insufficiency) is a medical condition in which the kidneys fail to

adequately filter waste products from the blood.[1] The two main forms are acute kidney injury, which is often
reversible with adequate treatment, and chronic kidney disease, which is often not reversible. In both cases,
there is usually an underlying cause.

Renal failure is mainly determined by a decrease in glomerular filtration rate, the rate at which blood is filtered
in the glomeruli of the kidney. This is detected by a decrease in or absence of urine production or
determination of waste products (creatinine or urea) in the blood. Depending on the cause, hematuria (blood
loss in the urine) andproteinuria (protein loss in the urine) may be noted.

In renal failure, there may be problems with increased fluid in the body (leading to swelling), increased acid
levels,raised levels of potassium, decreased levels of calcium, increased levels of phosphate, and in later
stages anemia. Bone health may also be affected. Long-term kidney problems are associated with an
increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

Prevention and Control :

 Self- assessment
 Goal setting
 Decision making
 Self- monitoring

Self -monitoring Skills to Prevent Non Communicable Disease:

 Physical activities/ Regular exercise

 Healthy eating
 Not smoking
 Weight management
 Routine medical check-up
 Stress management