Respiratory Diseases and Disorders

 

What are Respiratory Diseases and Disorders

A respiratory disease is anything that impacts the normal function of the lungs. respiratory disease could be as simple as a cold that affects the ease of breathing to severe which might permanently impact how a person's lungs function. Typical lung conditions encompass pneumonia, asthma, lung cancer, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

10 Deadliest Respiratory Diseases and Disorders

Respiratory diseases and disorders can pose a serious threat to life, impacting millions of individuals globally. Here are the 10 deadliest respiratory diseases and disorders you need to be aware of:

1. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease - COPD gets worse over time and makes it difficult for a person to breath as it reduces the effectiveness of how the lung functions. In the year 2018, bronchitis afflicted nine million grown-ups. The subsequent year, 2019, saw the demise of over three million individuals due to complications arising from COPD. There exists no remedy for COPD, and the injured lung tissue is incapable of self-repair. However, there are things you can do to slow the progression of the disease, improve your symptoms, stay out of hospital and live longer.
2. Asthma: Those who suffer from asthma get attacks when exposed to pollen, as a result of exercise, or other chemical irritants. During an attack the airways in the lung get inflamed and therefore are smaller, making it more difficult to breath. This results in shortness of breath, chest tightening, and wheezing. Thankfully, modern medicine helps those going through an attack, but sadly 10 people die of asthma a day in the United States.
3. Lung Cancer: Cancer is one of the leading causes of deaths worldwide, and lung cancer is one of the most deadly types of cancer. Lung cancer develops in the lungs and can spread to other parts of the body. In the past ten years, 125,070 in the US have died of lung cancer.
4. Pneumonia: Sometimes when a person gets a cold or the flu they end up developing an inflammation of the lung. This means that one or both lungs get inflamed which makes it difficult to breath and can cause coughing episodes. Of the 1.5 million Americans diagnosed with pneumonia each year, but only 50,000 of those die thanks to the care of modern medicine available in hospitals. 
5. Tuberculosis - TB is a bacterial infection that can cause coughing, extreme tiredness, chest pain, and function of the lung.  In 2019, 1.4 million people died worldwide of tuberculosis.
6. Pulmonary Hypertension: High blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs can lead to chest pain, fatigue, and shortness of breath. Without treatment, life expectancy is only 2-3 years, but with medicine and lifestyle changes this condition can be managed. 
7. Cystic Fibrosis: sometimes respiratory diseases are not contracted but are genetic. Cystic Fibrosis is such a disorder that not only affects the lungs, but the entire digestive system as well. The pathways become clogged with thick, sticky mucus which can clog the airways. Most patients that are diagnosed, only live to the age of 44. 
8. Pulmonary Fibrosis: If the lungs become scarred because of fibrosis, it can make it difficult to breath and result in reduced lung function. Unfortunately, this serious condition results in life expectancy of only 2.5 to 3.5 years once the scarring has progressed to this level.
9. Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: This is a sub-type of pulmonary fibrosis which we know little about, but continues to spread causing increased scarring of the lungs. Once the disorder has spread to this level, life expectancy is only about 3 years. 
10. Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome -  ARDS is a serious disease where the lungs are filled with fluid so they can't work properly. As a result of the fluid, the lungs can't fill with oxygen that is needed to nourish the rest of the body through the bloodstream. Depending on treatment and severity, it can be deadly for about 27-45% of patients diagnosed.

Although these respiratory diseases and disorders can see alarming, the good news is that with good medical care and changes in life style, many can reverse or at the least slow the spread of the infection. It is important to take good preventive care of our bodies to hopefully avoid having to deal with lung diseases.