Life Threatening Critical Illness

Life Threatening Critical Illness

Critical illness is a disease condition that appears suddenly, gets worse quickly and requires treatment as soon as possible because it can be life threatening. Based on the Basic Health Research Report (Riskesda), critical illness is included in non-communicable diseases that are not caused by bacteria or viruses. These diseases which are classified as critical illnesses generally appear suddenly due to years of unhealthy lifestyles such as poor diet, smoking habits and lack of physical activity.

The following types of diseases are classified as critical illnesses:

1. Cancer

Cancer is a non-communicable disease characterized by the presence of abnormal cells/tissues that are malignant, grow quickly and uncontrollably and can spread to other places in the patient's body.

Humans have aging or abnormal body cells and usually die and are replaced by new cells so that they can function normally again. However, when there are irregularities in the cell life cycle process, such as new cells are still being produced but old and abnormal cells do not die and are replaced, then that's when cancer can occur. Cancer cells are malignant and can invade and damage the function of these tissues. The spread of cancer cells can be through blood vessels or lymph vessels. Cancer cells can come from all the elements that make up an organ, on their next journey they can grow and multiply to form a tumor mass.

Here are easy steps to recognize the signs and symptoms of cancer:

• Timing of defecation or urination and changes in habits or disturbances
• The digestive system is disturbed and it is difficult to swallow
• Hoarseness or cough that doesn't go away
• Breast or elsewhere there is a lump (tumor)
• Andeng-andeng (mole), which changes its nature to become large and itchy
• Blood or mucus that is abnormal from the body
• There are scabs or ulcers that don't want to heal

2. Strokes

Stroke is a condition that occurs when the blood supply to the brain is interrupted or reduced due to a blockage (ischemic stroke) or rupture of a blood vessel (hemorrhagic stroke). Without a blood supply, the brain will not get oxygen and nutrients, so cells in some areas of the brain will die. This condition causes parts of the body that are controlled by damaged brain areas to not function properly.

The following are easy steps to return to the symptoms and signs of a stroke (immediately go to the hospital)

• An asymmetrical smile (turned to one side), choking, difficulty swallowing drinking water all of a sudden
• The movement of half of the limbs suddenly weakens
• slurred speech / suddenly can't talk / can't understand words / speech doesn't connect
• Numbness or numbness, or tingling in half of the body
• Myopic, blurred vision in one eye, occurs suddenly
• Severe headaches that appear suddenly and have never been felt before, Impaired balance function, such as spinning, movements are difficult to coordinate.

Stroke is an emergency condition that needs to be treated as soon as possible, because brain cells can die in just minutes. Quick and appropriate treatment measures can minimize the level of brain damage and prevent possible complications.

3. Heart disease

Coronary heart disease is a condition when the heart's blood vessels (coronary arteries) are blocked by fatty deposits. At first, this condition may not cause symptoms. However, complete blockage of the coronary arteries can cause a heart attack. Coronary arteries are blood vessels that carry oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle. Fat deposits in the coronary arteries make these blood vessels narrow and harden. As a result, blood flow and oxygen intake to the heart muscle is reduced.

When oxygen intake is reduced, the heart muscle can be damaged so that its ability to work is also limited. This is what causes heart attack symptoms, such as chest pain and shortness of breath.

Coronary heart disease begins when there is a buildup or fatty plaque (atherosclerosis) in the coronary arteries. Many factors can increase the risk of this condition, including: Age, Gender, Heredity/race, Smoking, Dyslipidemia, Hypertension, Diabetes Mellitus, Lack of physical activity, Overweight and obesity, Unhealthy diet, Stress, Alcohol consumption excess

4. Kidney failure

The kidney is an organ located behind the abdominal cavity, below the liver and has a bean-like shape. The main function of the kidneys is to filter the blood which will produce waste or excess fluid which will later be excreted through the urine.

Kidney failure is a condition of decreased kidney function in filtering waste from the body's metabolic waste from the blood and excreting it in the urine. This condition causes dangerous levels of toxins and fluids to settle in the body and can be fatal if left untreated.

In the early phase, kidney failure often doesn't show any symptoms and can only be detected through laboratory tests. However, this disease can develop very quickly so that the sufferer experiences several symptoms, such as; shortness of breath, fatigue and difficulty sleeping, nausea, vomiting, change in frequency of urination, high blood pressure.

So Hermina's friends are the types of diseases that fall into the critical illness category that we must be aware of. Do not let our daily bad lifestyle and habits become a boomerang that threatens our own lives.

Remember, don't be afraid to immediately go for an examination or consult a doctor if Hermina's best friend experiences symptoms or signs that lead to the critical illness above, so that you can identify it quickly and get the right treatment.