PCA Training – Day 3 of 6

Common Chronic Diseases

Objectives

• Understand the different type of common chronic diseases that affect the population

• Learn your role in assisting others that suffer from these diseases

• Learn to be creative and proactive in dealing with others

• Learn definitions

Fact

• Chronic diseases - such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes - are the leading causes of death and disability in the United States. These diseases account for seven of every 10 deaths and affect the quality of life of 90 million Americans.

Important Fact

• Although common and costly, many chronic diseases are also preventable. Many chronic diseases are linked to lifestyle choices that are within your own hands to change. Eating nutritious foods, becoming more physically active and avoiding tobacco can help keep you from developing many of these diseases and conditions. And, even if you already have diabetes, heart disease, arthritis or another chronic condition, eating more healthful food and getting more exercise, whether it's a brisk walk, a bike ride, a jog or a swim, can help you better manage your illness, avoid complications and prolong your life.

ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease)

• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is commonly known as "Lou Gehrig's disease," named after the famous New York Yankees baseball player who was forced to retire after developing the disease in 1939.

• ALS is a progressive disease that destroys nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord which control the muscles throughout the body. When these nerve cells (also called motor neurons) die, the brain can no longer send impulses (messages) to the muscle fibers that normally result in muscle movement. The disease most commonly afflicts people between the ages of 40 and 70. As many as 30,000 Americans have the disease at any given time.

Alzheimer's Disease

• Alzheimer's disease is a progressive, degenerative disorder that attacks the brain and results in disorientation, with impaired memory, thinking, and judgment. People with Alzheimer's also undergo changes in their behavior. Symptoms usually develop slowly and get worse over time, becoming severe enough to interfere with daily tasks. This combination of these symptoms is also called dementia.

• Alzheimer's is a progressive disease, where dementia symptoms gradually worsen over a number of years. In its early stages, memory loss is mild, but with late-stage Alzheimer's, individuals lose the ability to carry on a conversation and respond to their environment. Alzheimer's is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. Those with Alzheimer's live an average of eight years after their symptoms become noticeable to others, but survival can range from four to 20 years, depending on age and other health conditions.

Dementia• Dementia is a gradual and progressive loss of memory, thinking and

reasoning skills, as well as physical function. Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia.

• Dementia is a non-specific syndrome in which affected areas of brain function may be affected, such as memory, language, problem solving and attention. Dementia, unlike Alzheimer's, is not a disease in itself. When dementia appears the higher mental functions of the patient are involved initially. Eventually, in the later stages, the person may not know what day of the week, month or year it is; they may not know their surroundings, and might not be able to identify the people around them.

• Dementia is significantly more common among older people. However, it can affect adults of any age.

Arthritis• The term "arthritis" covers more than 100 diseases and conditions

affecting joints, the surrounding tissues, and other connective tissues, such as tendons and ligaments. Arthritis and other musculoskeletal conditions include:

• Osteoarthritis• Rheumatoid Arthritis• Systemic Lupus Erythematosus• Gout• Rheumatic Fever• Lyme Arthritis• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome• Bursitis• Tendinitis

• You might have arthritis if you are experiencing:• Pain• Aching or stiffness in or around a joint within the past 30 days• Pain, aches and stiffness that has been present for 3 or more months• If you have any of these symptoms, talk to your doctor or health care

provider.• What are the risk factors for developing arthritis?• Women: Women make up about 60% of arthritis cases.• Older Age: Nearly half of the elderly population has arthritis. Risk increases

with age.• Obesity: Obesity is associated with osteoarthritis in adults and gout in men.• Joint Injuries: Sports, occupation and repetitive motion joint injuries

increase the risk of arthritis. Occupations such as farming, heavy industry, and those with repetitive motion are associated with arthritis.

Asthma Information

• Asthma is a chronic disease of the lungs.• Nationally, nearly one in 13 school-age children have

asthma, and that rate is rising more rapidly in preschool-aged children and those living in urban inner cities than in any other group. Although there is no cure for asthma, asthma attacks can be prevented and controlled with proper care. New York is actively working with health care providers, community coalitions, schools, families and many others to fight asthma so people with asthma can live a full and active life.

Cancer

• ancer is a group of more than 100 different diseases that begin when abnormal cells in the body grow out of control. Normally, cells grow and divide to create new cells as they are needed to keep the body healthy. Sometimes this process of growing new cells does not work properly and cancer forms.

• Most cancers are named after the body part or cell where abnormal growth begins. For example, cancer that begins in the breast is called breast cancer, even if it spreads to other parts of the body.

How does cancer start?

• Normal cells become cancer cells because of damage to DNA. DNA is in every cell and directs all its actions. In a normal cell, when DNA gets damaged, the cell either repairs the damage or it dies. In cancer cells, the damaged DNA is not fixed, but the cell does not die like it should. Instead, this cell goes on making new cells that the body does not need.

• Abnormal cells can grow into a mass, or tumor. Not all tumors are cancerous. Tumors can be either malignant (cancerous) or benign (noncancerous). A malignant tumor, or cancer, can spread to other parts of the body and form other tumors.

• Some cancers, like leukemia, rarely form tumors. Instead, these cancer cells are in the blood and blood-forming organs and flow through other tissues, where they grow.

• Some cancers grow quickly; others may grow slowly over many years.

• Cancer can occur at any age, but it is most often found in those people middle-aged and older. The number of people diagnosed with cancer has increased over the past 40 years. Most of this is due to an increase in the population and because people are living longer.

• The most common cancers found in men, besides skin cancer, are prostate, lung and colon cancer. Breast, lung and colon cancers are the most common cancers found in women.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a disease of the lungs. A person with COPD has trouble breathing. This is because the airways – the tubes that carry air in and out of the lungs – are damaged.

• COPD may also be called by other names, such as emphysema (em-fa-seema) or chronic bronchitis. COPD is a serious lung disease that develops slowly. It may be many years before a person starts to have symptoms of COPD.

What causes COPD?• COPD can be caused by different things:

• Cigarette smoke – The most common cause of COPD is cigarette, or tobacco, smoke. COPD can happen in people who smoke now, and sometimes in people who have smoked in the past. People exposed to secondhand smoke are also at risk for COPD.

• Air pollutants – Chemicals, dust, fumes and secondhand smoke are examples of air pollutants that can cause COPD if a person breathes them in over a long period of time. People may be exposed to these pollutants either at home or at work.

• Genetic factors – In some people, COPD can be caused by a disease called alpha-1-antitrypsin (AAT) deficiency that they have inherited from their parents. In people with AAT deficiency, their bodies do not make a type of protein that helps to protect the lungs. AAT deficiency is not a common cause of COPD.

What are the symptoms of COPD?• Constant coughing• Shortness of breath, especially when you are doing activities that you are used to• Sputum (mucus) production• Wheezing (a whistling or squeaky sound) in the chest when you breathe• Feeling like you can't take a deep breath• Tightness in the chest• How common is COPD?

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that 24 million Americans have COPD. In the United States, COPD is the fourth leading cause of death.

• Over the past few years, the death rate from COPD has been higher in women than in men. This may be due to the increase in smoking by women since the 1940s. The good news is that as smoking has become less common in both men and women over the past 25 years, the number of people with COPD between the ages of 25-54 has dropped.

Other Diseases

• Cystic Fibrosis• Diabetes• Eating Disorders• End Stage Renal Disease • Heart Disease• Obesity• Oral Health• Osteoporosis• Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD) Syndrome• Tobacco Use and Related Conditions

The Power of Prevention

• Additional booklet • http://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/overview

/pop.htm

How you can help

• Educate yourself on diseases to better prep for taking care of your patients

• Being sensitive and patient• Ensuring your patient is receiving proper

treatment and is not skipping days that he/she has appointments with specialty doctors