Long Term Conditions

Asthma

Asthma is a common lung condition that causes occasional breathing difficulties.

It affects people of all ages and often starts in childhood, although it can also develop for the first time in adults.

There’s currently no cure, but there are simple treatments that can help keep the symptoms under control so it doesn’t have a big impact on your life.

Breast Cancer (Female)

The first symptom of breast cancer most women notice is a lump or an area of thickened tissue in their breast.

Most breast lumps (90%) aren’t cancerous, but it’s always best to have them checked by your Doctor.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the name for a group of lung conditions that cause breathing difficulties.

It includes:

emphysema – damage to the air sacs in the lungs
chronic bronchitis – long-term inflammation of the airways

Coronary Heart Disease

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a major cause of death both in the UK and worldwide. CHD is sometimes called ischaemic heart disease.

Further information about Coronary Heart Disease from NHS UK

Dementia

If you’re becoming increasingly forgetful, particularly if you’re over the age of 65, it may be a good idea to talk to your GP about the early signs of dementia.

As you get older, you may find that memory loss becomes a problem. It’s normal for your memory to be affected by stress, tiredness, or certain illnesses and medications.

Further information about Dementia available from NHS UK

Diabetes

Diabetes is a lifelong condition that causes a person’s blood sugar level to become too high.

There are 2 main types of diabetes:

Type 1 diabetes – where the body’s immune system attacks and destroys the cells that produce insulin
Type 2 diabetes – where the body doesn’t produce enough insulin, or the body’s cells don’t react to insulin

Further information about Diabetes from NHS UK

Epilepsy

Epilepsy is a common condition that affects the brain and causes frequent seizures.

Seizures are bursts of electrical activity in the brain that temporarily affect how it works. They can cause a wide range of symptoms.

Epilepsy can start at any age, but usually starts either in childhood or in people over 60. It’s often lifelong, but can sometimes get slowly better over time.

Further information about Epilepsy from NHS UK

High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)

High blood pressure, or hypertension, rarely has noticeable symptoms but if it goes untreated, increases the risk of serious problems such as heart attacks and strokes.

More than 1 in 4 adults in the UK have high blood pressure, although many won’t realise it.

The only way to find out if your blood pressure is high is to have your blood pressure checked.

Further information about High Blood Pressure (Hypertension) available from NHS UK

Osteoarthritis

The main symptoms of osteoarthritis are joint pain and stiffness. Some people also experience swelling, tenderness and a grating or crackling sound when moving the affected joints.

The severity of osteoarthritis symptoms can vary greatly from person to person, and between different affected joints.

Further information about Osteoarthritis from NHS UK