Cancer and Heart Disease: the Who, Why, and What of It Essay

Submitted By BrookeBowman1
Words: 1108
Pages: 5
Open Document
Cancer and Heart Disease: The who, why, and what of it Com/155 Instructor: Janet Ward June 10, 2012 By: Brooke Bowman

Cancer and Heart Disease: The who, why, and what of it

Cancer and heart disease are the top two killers of Americans, but who is at the greatest risk; men or women and why? The first thing we must do to prevent ourselves from developing either of these deadly diseases, whatever gender you are, is to learn as much as you can about them both. Learning which behaviors you might possess, if any, that increase your odds of falling victim to either of these disease, prevention tips, and knowing what to ask your doctor are just a few ideas for what you can do to educate yourself about these diseases. Heart disease is a broad term used to describe any type of disorder that affects the heart. Not to be confused with cardiovascular disease which affects both the arteries and the heart; heart disease only affects the heart. There are many types of heart disease, such as cyanotic heart disease. This is when the heart is unable to deliver an adequate amount of oxygen to the body because of a defect or multiple defects. Some other types of heart disease are dilated cardiomyopathy, congestive heart failure, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and this is only a few. The one thing that the many types of heart disease have in common is the failure to deliver the necessary amount of blood to the body and vital organs. According to the World Health Organization, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the UK, USA, Canada, and Australia. In the USA, 25.4% of all deaths that occur each year are due to heart disease.
Coming in a close second, Cancer is the #2 leading cause of death in the USA. Cancer is a term used for diseases in which abnormal cells divide without control and are able to invade other tissues. Like heart disease cancer comes in many different forms, some of which are bone cancer, brain cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer, and countless others. All cancers begin in our cells and our bodies which are made up of many types of cells. These cells grow and divide to produce more cells that are needed to keep the body healthy. When cells become old or damaged, they die and are replaced with new cells. Sometimes this process goes wrong and the cell can become damaged or changed, producing mutations that affect normal cell growth and division. When this happens, cells do not die when they should and new cells form when the body does not need them. The extra cells may form a mass of tissue called a tumor. This is a cancer. Some are benign, which are tumors that are non-life threatening usually, and not permanently damaging. Others are malignant, meaning they require treatment due to the fact that they could lead to death. It is estimated that 854,790 men and 805,500 women will be diagnosed with some type of cancer in 2013, and of those 1,660,290 people that are diagnosed with cancer, 580, 350 of those people will die from their disease. But when talking about heart disease and cancer both, who is at the greatest risk for these diseases, men or women? Let’s find out! It is thought by many that heart disease is a man’s disease and women are more likely to develop cancer than heart disease but this is simply not the case. In fact, nearly 500,000 women will die this year from heart disease, twice as many as will die from a type of cancer. In 1998 the National Center for Health Statistics conducted a survey asking women what they perceived was their most serious health threat. 65% of the women polled stated that some type of cancer was

their greatest threat, while 4% stated heart disease. The actuality is heart disease is 36% of a women’s greatest health threat while cancer came in at only 9%. Therein lays the problem. There are measures we can take however, both
Show More

Related Documents: Cancer and Heart Disease: the Who, Why, and What of It Essay

Heart Disease Research Paper

Heart Disease Heart disease is the number one killer of women in the United States. Heart disease is more difficult to diagnose in women than in men. Heart disease refers to any condition affecting the structures or function of the heart and cardiovascular system. Coronary artery disease (including heart attacks), abnormal heart rhythms, congestive heart failure, heart valve disease, congenital heart disease, heart muscle disease (cardiomyopathy), pericardial disease, aorta disease, and vascular…

Words 1528 - Pages 7

Comparitive Essay

http://millionhearts.hhs.gov/abouthds/cost-consequences.html Pg 4 Lengthen your life---- oxidation causes your body cells to break down and age therefore it contributes to heart disease, wrinkles, cancer, and arthritis. However nature produces natural antioxidants that can help this process from gradually effect Americans who have these problems. Vitamin C, E, and beta-carotenes are natures antioxidants that can easily be consumed by drinking a glass of pure grapefruit or naturally squeezed orange…

Words 573 - Pages 3

Essay about How to

around smokers and stress reliever. Also, a few common effects of smoking are cancer, diabetes, and also heart disease. Peer pressure is one of the number one starters for smoking. It’s normally picked up at an early age in time. Many people start smoking in their teens because of peer pressure. Wanting to fit-in with a crowd because most of their friends are doing it pressures many teenagers into trying and those who don’t are criticized. For example, one is at a party and everyone is smoking and…

Words 853 - Pages 4

Essay on Alcohol Tobacco 10

10 Alcohol and Tobacco Use, Misuse, and Abuse Prepared by: Karlyn Grimes, M.S. R.D. ©2005 Wadsworth Publishing Co. What Is “One Drink”? © 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Alcohol Impairment Chart Blood-Alcohol Concentration The amount of alcohol in your blood at any given time. Factors Affecting Your BAC How much and how quickly you drink What you drink Body size Gender Age Race Other drugs Family history of alcoholism Eating Expectations Physical tolerance How…

Words 1319 - Pages 6

Why Is Animal Testing Wrong

We need them to help treat and cure diseases that threaten humans around the world. Animals have already been a huge help. They are responsible for medicine that treats breast cancer and lung cancer. They are responsible for advancements in therapy for HIV and AIDS. They are responsible for breakthroughs in stroke prevention (Americans for Medical Progress). They are also responsible for saving countless lives. Several deadly diseases such as, heart diseases, diabetes, and ALS, only have treatments…

Words 1346 - Pages 6

Essay about Student: Tobacco and Health Canada

on pack of cigarettes. If it is harmful then why are they still manufacturing this poisonous thing? Oh! I know it’s because of the money isn’t it? Sad but it’s the reality, money makes the world go around. Everyday there are thousands or more, people suffering because of cigarette smoking. But yet there are still people want to try it or started to smoke even though they already know the effects of it in their lives. It is not only harmful for those who smoke but it is also injurious too those inhales…

Words 949 - Pages 4

The Power of a Body Essay

Body Lose an arm? Get another!! Need a heart? Plenty to spare!! A world filled with nothing but healthy people, no cancer or missing limbs. How could this be? The answer lies in stem cells and their research. It has been said that stem cell research is unethical, but through this paper it will be shown that it does not matter. The ethical concerns related to stem cell research are insignificant when it has the potential to cure currently incurable diseases, grow organs for transplants, and limbs…

Words 1675 - Pages 7

Good: Tobacco and Human Services Smoking Essay

it kills millions of people each year. All it takes is one simple law to change and it could save millions of peoples lives. Since there is such a high number of deaths, enormous numbers of smoking related issues, and the high costs are all reasons why smoking should be made illegal. T: One hundred years ago tobacco use was not a significant cause of illness or death in the United States. II. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Smoking kills an estimated 443,000 Americans…

Words 1431 - Pages 6

Essay about Braindead: Tobacco Smoking and Baby Boy

the braindead Megaphone by George Saunders he effectively analyzes the use of social and mass media in order to prove how miss used they are in today's world. Saunders uses the idea of a braindead megaphone, or a megaphone that cannot choose between what is good for society and just trash, to emphasize the impact that it has on us as a group of people. Saunders's example of this "braindead megaphone" is that it will project the message of whoever speaks into it, whether that person is right or wrong…

Words 1089 - Pages 5

Secondhand Smoke Essay

higher concentrations of cancer-causing agents (carcinogens) than the mainstream smoke. And, it contains smaller particles than mainstream smoke, which make their way into the body’s cells more easily. When non-smokers are exposed to SHS it is called involuntary smoking or passive smoking. Non-smokers who breathe in SHS take in nicotine and other toxic chemicals just like smokers do. The more SHS you are exposed to, the higher the level of these harmful chemicals in your body. Why is secondhand smoke…

Words 1686 - Pages 7