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Acute and Chronic Diseases are two types of medical diseases that differ from each other owing to the time period they exist in the human body. The disease that won’t last for a long period is considered an acute disease and one which stays over a long period is recognized as a chronic disease. Typhoid, bone fractures, heart attacks, cholera, the common cold, jaundice, malaria, are considered common acute diseases. Whereas Diabetes, cancer, TB, arthritis, are recognized as chronic diseases. Here we will talk about acute and chronic diseases, their symptoms, how they occur, and what are the common acute and chronic diseases. There are healthy ways to prevent and control these acute and chronic diseases.
| Table of Contents |
Key Terms: Acute Diseases, Chronic Diseases, Cough, Cold, Fever, Virus, Infectious Agents, Contagious Diseases, Cancer, Health, Symptoms, Treatment
What is an Acute Disease?
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Some diseases appear out of nowhere and persist for only a few days. Acute diseases, such as the common cold, are examples of them. Medical therapy or self-treatment are also options for treating this illness. Acute diseases can become chronic if they are not treated.
Acute diseases can affect any part of the body. An asthma outbreak, for example, is acute and then becomes chronic. Acute illnesses include strep throat, fractured bones, appendicitis, influenza, pneumonia, and others.
- Duration: Acute diseases last for a shorter span of time in comparison to chronic diseases, usually, a few days or weeks.
- Appearance: Most acute diseases develop suddenly out of nowhere.
- Nature: The majority of Acute Diseases are contagious in nature can spread to people easily with the help of infectious agents.
- Causes: The primary cause of most acute diseases is foreign agents that enter our bodies. Apart from foreign particles, wrong medication or accidents can be the cause of various acute diseases.
- Effects: Acute Diseases are not so dangerous and do not have any serious effects on the health of an individual.
- Onset: The symptoms of Acute diseases start showing up early and starts to get worsen in a short span of time.
- Treatment: Acute Diseases can be cured easily and the affected person can be completely healthy with the help of proper medication.
Common Cold- An Acute Disease
What is a Chronic Disease?
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Chronic diseases are illnesses that develop over time and endure for a long time or even a lifetime. Chronic illness is defined as a condition that lasts more than three years. The symptoms are relatively modest at first. A chronic illness develops slowly and causes significant harm to the body. It has the potential to be devastating at times.
Age, gender, and an unhealthy lifestyle, along with other things, are risk factors for such illnesses. Medication may or may not be able to cure a chronic condition. Vaccines are also ineffective in preventing it. Chronic illnesses include hypertension, arthritis, diabetes, and psoriasis.
Chronic diseases, on the other hand, can be controlled by certain activities and there are:
- Physical activity is important.
- A balanced diet
- Deciding to stop smoking
- Keeping alcohol consumption under control
Some important points about chronic diseases are as follows:
- Duration: Chronic diseases last for a very long span of time and can continue to be there for a life span of an individual.
- Appearance: Chronic diseases develop slowly and steadily and the symptoms take a longer period of time to show.
- Nature: Chronic Diseases are not contagious and can not be transmitted from one person to another. Chronic diseases are illnesses and are not connected to any infection.
- Causes: Chronic Diseases are caused due to a specific issue in the body or its functioning and are not related to any foreign agent. They can also be caused due to improper lifestyle and diet.
- Effects: Chronic Diseases have long term and serious/harmful effects on the health of an individual.
- Onset: The symptoms of chronic diseases develop slowly and take a lot of time to show up and can not be detected easily.
- Treatment: For chronic diseases, it is difficult to find a 100 per cent effective treatment/cure. The treatment involves stopping the condition to worsen.
Chronic Diseases
Difference between Acute and Chronic Diseases
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The main distinctions between acute and chronic diseases are:
| Acute Diseases | Chronic Diseases |
|---|---|
| These diseases strike without warning. | They happen over a long period. |
| They have a shorter lifespan. | They endure much longer, perhaps even a lifetime. |
| They inflict immediate bodily harm. | They create a long-term harm to the patient's body. |
| The development is abrupt and usually curable. Other underlying diseases, on the other hand, can have an impact on the disease's outcome. | Chronic illnesses normally grow slowly and result in long-term damage to organs and organ systems. It can also be lethal in rare situations. |
| Typhoid, bone fractures, heart attacks, cholera, the common cold, jaundice, malaria, and other diseases are examples. | Diabetes, cancer, TB, arthritis, and other diseases are examples. |
Acute Diseases VS Chronic Diseases
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| Infectious Diseases | Vector-Borne Diseases | |
Things to Remember
- Acute diseases are medical conditions that strike unexpectedly and endure for a brief length of time.
- Chronic diseases take a long time to develop in our bodies and might last a lifetime.
- Chronic diseases can be lethal in some cases.
- Diseases that persist in our bodies for an extended period can be deadly, but they can also be treated with specific treatments.
- Acute diseases include the common cold, typhoid, jaundice, cholera, and burn.
- AIDS, elephantiasis, cancer, TB, and others are examples of chronic diseases.
Sample Questions
Ques. What is an Acute Disease and how can it be treated? (3 Marks)
Ans. Acute Diseases are illnesses that strike unexpectedly and linger for a few days. Medical therapy or self-treatment are also options for treating this illness. It is treatable at home with a medical medication such as an antibiotic or anti-bacterial. If an acute condition is not treated promptly, it might become chronic. It can affect any region of the body and should be detected as soon as possible to ensure that the condition is adequately treated. A mild asthma attack might be considered as an example of a minor asthma attack that can later be classified as a chronic condition.
Ques. What are Chronic diseases and how are they controlled? (5 Marks)
Ans. Chronic diseases are illnesses that develop over time and persist in the body for an extended length of time, maybe a lifetime. These illnesses can persist in your body for up to three years. Chronic diseases can be controlled by:
- Physical exercise, a nutritious diet, no smoking, and alcohol intake restraint.
- Many chronic illnesses or diseases are inherited, and people can avoid making the same mistakes by avoiding repeating them.
- People can avoid these diseases by living a healthy lifestyle and eating healthy food.
- People should also have frequent body checks once a year to see how their vitals and organs are doing.
- Preparation ahead of time can aid in the early stages of a chronic condition.
Ques. What are the top 10 most common chronic conditions in older adults? (3 Marks)
Ans. Hypertension (high blood pressure), High cholesterol, Arthritis, Ischemic heart disease (or coronary heart disease), Diabetes, Chronic kidney disease (CKD), Heart failure, Depression, Alzheimer's disease and dementia, Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Ques. What are some of the symptoms of having chronic diseases? (3 Marks)
Ans. Chronic diseases include disease-specific symptoms, but they can also cause symptoms that aren't evident, such as pain, exhaustion, and mood swings. Pain and fatigue may become a regular part of your day. You undoubtedly have specific things you need to do to take care of yourself, such as taking medicine or exercising, in addition to your sickness. Keeping up with your healthcare responsibilities may be stressful.
Ques. How do lifestyle habits impact Chronic Disease? (3 Marks)
Ans. Chronic diseases are caused by some bad lifestyle habits such as smoking, poor nutrition, alcohol use, lack of physical activity. Poor diet, lack of exercise, smoking, and alcoholism are all changeable lifestyle factors that, if modified, can improve health and dramatically improve quality of life. Reducing disease burden, minimizing impairments, and lowering medical expenditures can all be achieved by changing poor lifestyle choices.
Ques. Is diabetes a chronic disease? (3 Marks)
Ans. Diabetes is a chronic condition that happens when the pancreas fails to produce sufficient insulin or when the body's insulin is ineffectively used. Insulin helps to maintain blood sugar levels in check. Uncontrolled diabetes causes hyperglycemia, or high blood sugar, which causes catastrophic damage to several of the organ functions, including the neurons and blood vessels, over time.
Ques. Is Hepatitis C a chronic or acute disease? (3 Marks)
Ans. Both acute and chronic infections are caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV). Acute HCV infections are typically asymptomatic, and the majority do not progress to a life-threatening condition. Within 6 months of infection, approximately 30% (15–45%) of infected people spontaneously clear the virus.
Chronic HCV infection will affect the existing 70% (55–85%) of people. Cirrhosis is a disease that affects 15 per cent to 30 per cent of people who have chronic HCV infection.
Ques. What are the symptoms which help in recognizing acute diseases? (3 Marks)
Ans. Sore throat, fever, cough, sneezing, earache, diarrhoea, nausea, runny nose, as well as headache seem to be indicators of an acute disease. Doctors can give a diagnosis and treatment plan for the acute condition based on a physical examination and identification of the particular symptoms. Any condition with severe symptoms should be seen by a physician as soon as feasible. If symptoms increase or continue, even seemingly harmless ones should be investigated.
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