Diseases A-Z
Arthritis
- The word arthritis means joint inflammation.
- In 2002, 43 million American adults (about 1 in 5) had arthritis.
- Arthritis is the nation's leading cause of disability.
- There are over 100 different types of Arthritis, including Osteoporosis, which we focus on below.
- Information obtained from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention
Alzheimer's Disease
- Alzheimer's disease (AD) - A brain disorder that involves the parts of the brain that control thought, memory, and language.
- Doctors do not know what causes Alzheimer's and there is no cure for it.
- Researchers believe 4.5 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer's, and it usually affects people after age 60.
- Alzheimer's starts with mild memory problems and ends with severe brain damage.
- Information obtained from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention
Cardiovascular Disease
- Heart disease and stroke - the principal components of cardiovascular disease - are the first and third leading causes of death for both men and women in the United States.
- Cardiovascular disease accounts for nearly 40% of all deaths.
- Over 910,000 Americans die of cardiovascular disease each year.
- More than 70 million Americans currently live with a cardiovascular disease.
- Information obtained from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention
Diabetes
- Diabetes is a disease in which blood glucose levels are above normal.
- Diabetes can cause other health complications such as kidney disease, heart disease, and blindness.
- Diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States.
- Your body either doesn't make enough insulin or can't use its own insulin as well as it should when you have diabetes.
- Information obtained from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention
Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)
- 49,707 Americans died of High Blood Pressure in 2002.
- Early detection is extremely important.
- High Blood Pressure increases the risk for heart disease and stroke.
- About 1 in 3 American adults have high blood pressure. High blood pressure affects about 2 in 5 African Americans, 1 in 5 Hispanics and Native Americans, and 1 in 6 Asians.
- Information obtained from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention
- Osteoporosis is a disease where you have low bone mass and deterioration of bone tissue.
- It can lead to an increase in breaks or fractures.
- Information obtained from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention