Top 10 Diseases That Kill Men

Most of the common diseases that affect men are potentially preventable, but one needs to know their enemy. Interestingly, the presence of some diseases increases the likelihood that another will occur.

Heart disease, stroke, peripheral vascular disease, and dementia all share the same risk factors:

• Smoking
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Family history

The following are the top diseases that kill men, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

1. Heart disease

Heart disease is the number one killer of men.

2. Cancers

Lung cancer is the number one killer among cancers in men, and most are preventable. Smoking causes 90% of all lung cancers.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men, and is a disease of aging and is rarely seen in men younger than 50 years of age.

3. Injuries

Accidents happen and the key to minimizing the risk of death is to use common sense and avoid potentially dangerous situations.

4. Stroke (Cerebrovascular Accident, CVA)

A stroke (cerebrovascular accident [CVA]), occurs when blood supply to part of the brain is disrupted, causing brain cells to die.

5. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

Emphysema and chronic bronchitis are the two types of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and both are most commonly caused by smoking.

6. Diabetes

The pancreas makes insulin to help cells use glucose for energy. Diabetes describes the situation where insulin function in the body is abnormal. Poorly controlled diabetes can cause vascular disease leading to heart attacks, strokes, limb amputations, kidney failure, blindness, and nerve damage (diabetic neuropathy).

7. Influenza and Pneumonia

A healthy lifestyle and healthy body makes for a strong immune system that can fight common infections like influenza (flu). It is important to follow public health recommendations for routine immunizations to reduce the risk of contracting the flu, and its complications such as pneumonia  

8. Suicide

Thoughts of self-harm are not normal. They should not be ignored by a man, family, or friends, and should be considered an emergency situation.

9. Kidney disease

The kidneys filter impurities from the blood and dispose of them in the urine. They are also important in maintaining electrolyte balance in the blood. Even in healthy people, aging gradually decreases the efficiency of kidney function. Kidney failure is often a result of years of poorly controlled high blood pressure and diabetes.

10. Alzheimer’s Disease

Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease describes a gradual loss of cognition and intellectual ability including language, attention, memory, and problem solving is an otherwise healthy person. The cause is unknown and there is no cure. Recommendations to decrease the risk of dementia include avoiding smoking and keeping blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes under control. Physical and mental fitness may help prevent dementia; keeping socially active may also help. Recurrent head injuries are associated with dementia.

Don’t be a statistic. See a doctor or book a lab test at a Primary Care Clinic near you. You may also consult with a doctor immediately with our Teleconsult and Videoconsult services powered by Doctor Anywhere. And, should you require it, HomeCare medical procedures are available upon request in Metro Manila and selected provinces.

Source

http://www.medicinenet.com/mens_health/page4.htm

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