What are the 10 most common diseases?
In this article we will describe what are the 10 most common diseases. These are listed in alphabetical order, not order of importance. Each is really a group of chronic diseases.
1. Atheromatous disease
- Chronic kidney disease. Even though 10% of the population have CKD, most have a mild problem that is more of a risk factor than a disease. About 50% of patients with CKD have an atheromatous cause
- Heart disease
- Renovascular disease
- Hypertension
- Peripheral vascular disease (PVD)
- Stroke.
2. Cancer
- The commonest 5 cancers in men are (in order): prostate, lung, bowel, head and neck, and kidney
- The commonest 5 cancers in women are (in order): breast, lung, bowel, uterus. and skin (melanoma).
Note. These lists do not include non-melanoma skin cancer.
3. Chronic respiratory disease
- Asthma
- COPD
- Pulmonary fibrosis, including occupational lung disease
- Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA)
- Bronciectasis.
4. Degenerative (including autoimmune) disease
- Dermatological
- Eczema, psoriasis and acne
- Endocrine
- Thyroid – especially hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid)
- Eye conditions
- Cataract, glaucoma and senile degeneration of the macula (SDM)
- Gynaecological disease
- Endometriosis
- PCOS
- Neurological
- Epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease
- Other
- Gastrointestinal disease – especially inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), pancreatitis, peptic ulcer, GORD, gall stones, NASH, diverticular disease and haemorrhoids
- Surgical disease – herniae and varicose veins
- Urological – benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) and kidney stones.
5. Dementia
Dementia is not a single disease but a term for a group of brain diseases; characterised by memory loss, mental quickness, language, and understanding. All tend to progress. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia. Other types include vascular and alcohol-related dementia. New treatments and medical breakthroughs may help to slow or cure this group of diseases.
6. Diabetes
It is a lifelong condition that causes the blood glucose (sugar) level to become too high. There are two main types of diabetes: type 1 (10%), which usually starts in childhood or young adult life; type 2 (90%), which usually affects older people. Both can damage organs like the kidneys, eyes, heart, brain and blood vessels.
There are other types including prediabetes, gestational diabetes and NODAT (new onset diabetes after transplantation).
People with early diabetes often does not experience any symptoms until the disease is at an advanced stage. This is why it needs to be picked up as early as possible, so treatment can start. It is linked to atheromatous disease, cancer, degenerative disease and obesity.
Note. We could or perhaps should have put diabetes and dementia in the degenerative/autoimmune group. But they are so common, we chose to make them a group on there own.
7. Infectious disease
Bacterial infections are treatable with antibiotics. Many illnesses caused by viruses are self-limited, such as the common cold. Antiviral medications are available to treat other viral illnesses.
- Bacteria
- Fungi
- Parasites and other organisms
- Prions
- Viruses.
8. Medically unexplained physical symptoms (MUPS)
These are when a person has physical symptoms that cannot be explained, and no medical cause found. They are very common and affect 1 in 4 people. They are also known as a somatic or functional disorder.
9. Mental illness and substance abuse
More than 30% of people are diagnosed with a significant mental disorder at some point in their life. These are common groups:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Schizophrenia
- Learning difficulties.
Substance abuse can cause both physical and mental health problems. It affects people of all ages, genders, ethnic groups, and socioeconomic status.
- Alcohol – and physical disease it leads to (brain, heart and liver)
- Prescribed drugs
- Recreational drugs
- Tobacco.
10. Musculoskeletal
- Back, knee, neck and shoulder pain (and their causes)
- Rheumatological (including arthritides)
- Rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, gout and osteoporosis
Other diseases
Obesity
25% of adults in the UK are obese and upto 40% are overweight but not obese. ‘Obesity’ is defined as having a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or above. BMI between 25 and 30 is classified as ‘overweight’.
Lifestyle changes like a healthy diet and regular exercise play a critical role in treating obesity, which is linked to many health complications.
It is linked to atheromatous disease, cancer, degenerative disease and diabetes.
Note. Obesity is not really a disease. It’s a risk factor, for most of the groups in this article.
Summary
We have described what are the 10 most common diseases. We hope you have found it interesting.
Other resources
https://www.myhsn.co.uk/top-tip/what-are-the-10-most-common-diseases
Last Reviewed on 1 April 2024