Best known as ‘sugar’, this is a condition in which the pancreas no longer produce enough insulin or body cells stop responding to the insulin that is produced, and glucose in the blood cannot be absorbed into the cells.

Symptoms: Frequent urination, lethargy, excessive thirst and hunger, severe weight loss, regular infection e.g. vaginal candidiasis.

Diagnosis & Treatment: see your doctor to confirm clinical suspicion and for a glucose tolerance test.

A waxy substance found in your body that forms an important component in the production of hormones e.g. vitamin D and bile. Cholesterol plays an important role in the protection of nerves and the maintenance of cell structure integrity. Unfortunately, too high a level of cholesterol is detrimental to your health and can cause heart attacks or strokes.

Symptoms: asymptomatic.

Diagnosis & Treatment: see your doctor for a fasting lipogram.

Hypertension is by definition a repeatedly elevated blood pressure exceeding 140 over 90 mmHg. Chronic hypertension is a silent condition and could present later with CVA (strokes), heart attacks and renal failure.

Symptoms: asymptomatic OR headaches, chest pains, frequency, blurred vision.

Diagnosis & Treatment: see your doctor.

AIDS = (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) is an infectious disease caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). At present, all forms of AIDS therapy are focused on improving the quality and length of life for AIDS patients by slowing or halting the replication of the virus and treating or preventing infection and cancer that might take advantage of a person’s weakened immune system.

Symptoms: asymptomatic OR opportunistic infection e.g. tuberculosis, PCP.

Diagnosis & Treatment: see your doctor for an HIV ELISA test.

These are disorders in which the body’s tissues are attacked by its own immune system. The body’s immune system becomes misdirected, attacking the very organs it was designed to protect, for example: rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, Sjogrens disease.

Symptoms: It can affect any organ e.g. skin, joints, lungs, heart, eyes, GIT and patient present with a wide variety of symptoms e.g. joint pain and stiffness, tiredness and fatigue, skin rashes, shortness of breath, chest pain.

Diagnosis & Treatment: see your doctor for a clinical examination and blood test.

Diseases of the pituitary gland, thyroid gland, adrenal glands or diseases of the reproductive system for example: Adrenal disorders, Adrenal insufficiency, Addison’s disease, Conn’s syndrome, Cushing’s syndrome, diabetes, hypo/hyperthyroidism, growth disorders.

This is a class of diseases that involve the heart (muscle or conduction system) or blood vessels (arteries and veins e.g. coronary artery disease), angina, arrhythmia, congenital heart disease, heart attack, and dilated cardiomyopathy.

Symptoms: chest pain, palpitations, shortness of breath, blackout (syncope), swollen feet, cough at night.

Diagnosis & Treatment: see your doctor for a clinical examination and special investigations e.g. ECG, chest X-ray and blood tests.

These include diseases of the lung, pleural cavity, bronchial tubes, trachea, and upper respiratory tract and of the nerves and muscles of breathing. Respiratory diseases range from mild and self-limiting, such as the common cold, to threatening, such as bacterial pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, tuberculosis, damage to lungs due to cigarette smoke (chronic obstructive airways disease) and lung cancer.

Symptoms: loss of weight, loss of appetite, night sweat, chest pain, shortness of breath, haemoptysis (coughing up blood), cough (dry or wet).

Diagnosis & Treatment: see your doctor for a clinical examination and special investigations e.g. ECG, lung function and chest X-ray.

All diseases that pertain to the gastrointestinal tract are labelled as digestive diseases, this include diseases of the oesophagus, stomach, duodenum, jejunum, ileum the ileocecal complex and large intestine. Example of these diseases: gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, oesophagus cancer, stomach cancer, gastric ulcer disease, chronic constipation, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, etc.

Symptoms: loss of weight, loss of appetite, night sweat, chest pain, hematemesis (vomiting blood), cough, dysphasia (unable to swallow), odynophagia (painful to swallow), bloatedness, heartburn, constipation or diarrhoea, blood per rectum.

Diagnosis & Treatment: see your doctor for a clinical examination and special investigations e.g. blood tests, abdominal sonar, gastroscopy and colonoscopy.

Infectious diseases are caused by pathogenic microorganisms, such as bacteria, viruses, parasites or fungi; the diseases can be spread, directly or indirectly, from one person to another. Some, however, are transmitted via bites from insects or animals. Others are acquired by ingesting contaminated food or water or other exposures in the environment. Signs and symptoms of infectious diseases vary, but often include fever and chills. Mild complaints may respond to home remedies, while some life-threatening infections may require hospitalisation and intravenous antibiotics. Infectious diseases, such as measles and chickenpox, can be prevented by vaccines. Frequent and thorough hand washing also helps protect you from infectious diseases.

A disorder or disease of blood e.g. blood cancer (leukaemia), anaemia, With blood disorders you have problems with the components that make up blood, such as red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, plasma and enzymes that control what the blood does.