Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD) Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a lung disease that is characterized by a persistent reduction of airflow. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is an umbrella term used to describe progressive lung diseases including: Emphysema – a condition which damages the air sacs of lungs and reduce the elasticity of the lungs. This results in decreased lung efficiency. Chronic bronchitis – a condition in which the lining of airways become inflamed and increases the mucus production. Persistent bronchitis becomes chronic and does not respond to treatment. About 6.4% people in the United States are diagnosed with COPD. It is a life threatening disease and it is under diagnosed due which it is increasing day by day. Causes The biggest cause of COPD in most developed countries like United States is cigarette smoking. It has been observed that about 90% of COPD patients are smokers or former smokers. Risk Factors Other than smoking there are some other risk factors that can cause COPD, these include: Indoor air pollution such as solid fuel used for cooking and heating Outdoor air pollution Occupational dusts and chemicals (such as vapors, irritants, and fumes) Family history of COPD Genetic factors The frequent attacks of respiratory infection in childhood are also a cause of COPD. Symptoms The most common symptoms of the Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary disorder are: Chronic cough, Breathlessness, Sputum...

What is cholesterol? Cholesterol is a lipid (fat-like substance) naturally produced by your liver. It is essential for the production of certain hormones, vitamin D and cell membranes. It is not water soluble and can’t travel through blood. Your body uses lipoproteins to transfer cholesterol. There are two types of cholesterol LDL – cholesterol carried by low-density lipoproteins. HDL – cholesterol carried by high-density lipoproteins. If the level of LDL cholesterol becomes high in your blood it is considered as high cholesterol. If not treated, high cholesterol can lead to many health problems, including heart attack or stroke. LDL cholesterol LDL lipoproteins are also called as bad cholesterol as these carry your cholesterol to arteries and this builds up on their walls leading to plaque formation. This results in blocking the arteries and getting you at a risk of having a heart attack or stroke. According to CDC, more than one-third of the American adults have elevated levels of LDL cholesterol. HDL cholesterol HDL lipoproteins are also called good cholesterol as it helps return the LDL cholesterol back to your liver so that it can be removed from your body, thus preventing the formation of plaque and protecting you from the risk of heart diseases. Healthy levels of HDL are good for your body as they defend you from high cholesterol levels and risk of blood clots or stroke. Triglycerides Another type...

Blood pressure is the measure of how much blood is passing through the blood vessels and the resistance to its flow. High blood pressure also called hypertension occurs when blood pressure reaches to unhealthy levels. The resistance to blood flow increases due to narrow arteries and the blood pressure becomes high. This could also result in heart diseases. Hypertension is a common disease and it develops over several years. It is also considered as a silent killer because most people do not notice its symptoms. Nearly half of the American adults are affected by this disease. High blood pressure can not only affect your heart but also brain, heart, eyes, and kidneys. What causes high blood pressure? There are two types of hypertension. Each type has a different cause. Primary hypertension – also called essential hypertension. There is no identifiable cause of this kind of hypertension. This may be caused by some of the factors stated below: Genes – you might be genetically predisposed to high blood pressure. Various people have gene mutations that are inherited from parents. Physical changes – changes like aging can upset your natural body balance of fluids and salts leading to problems like high blood pressure. Environment – Poor diet, weight problems or lack of physical activity can increase your risk of getting high blood pressure. Secondary hypertension This type of hypertension is usually...