Although the gap has definitely decreased, men still live an average of five years less than women. And although both men and women are affected by chronic illness, men tend to smoke and drink more than women increasing their risk of many diseases. To top it off, men are also much less diligent about getting preventative care and seeking medical attention. Chronic disease can affect quality of life and increase the risk of other health problems, here are some of the top chronic disease affecting men:
1. Heart Disease
Cardiovascular disease refers to a group of diseases that affect the heart. This includes coronary artery disease, where arteries that supply the heart with blood become clogged with plaque buildup. Hypertension, or high blood pressure is also included in this, where more than normal amount of blood is forced against artery walls. Heart disease increases the risk of stroke and heart attack.
2. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
This includes both chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Both these diseases cause a blockage of the airflow through the lungs and interferes with regular breathing. This is highly associated with smoking.
3. Diabetes
This is a metabolic disease and chronic condition that affects the way your body metabolizes sugar, an important source of fuel for your body. In type 2 diabetes, the body either resists the effect of insulin or doesn’t produce enough, thereby affecting the levels of glucose in the blood. For some, diet, exercise and maintaining a heathy weight are enough to manage the chronic disease.
4. Kidney Disease
This occurs when kidneys become damaged and are no longer able to function normally. Kidney damage impairs the organs ability to filter the blood. This can lead to kidney failure, where your kidneys stop working and the body fills with a backup of waste and extra water. This ultimately lead to a need for dialysis or kidney transplantation.
The biggest risk factors for chronic disease is men are the following:
1. Obesity
2. Smoking
3. Excessive Alcohol use
4. High cholesterol
As most of these risk factors can be avoided or at least managed through lifestyle factors, the burden of chronic disease should logically be tackled by eliminated these risk factors for men. If not, the chronic diseases mentioned above with surely lead to costly medical care, increased risk of death, and decreased longevity for men.
