Acute And Chronic Disease Management

What is an acute disease?

An acute disease is one that develops over a short period and typically lasts for a few days or weeks. Acute illnesses can affect specific bodily systems or cause widespread symptoms. They may be mild and not require medical attention, like a cold, or have severe and life-threatening effects, like pneumonia, or sepsis. Common types of acute illness include:

• Strep throat
• Urinary tract infection (UTI)
• Flu
• Stomach flu
• Sinusitis
• Bronchitis

If you have a minor health problem and you’re otherwise fit and well, resting at home, drinking plenty of clear fluids, and using over-the-counter medicines should soon have you feeling better. Managing more serious acute conditions effectively requires expert diagnosis and treatment from experienced providers like the team at Commonwealth Internal Medicine.

What is a chronic disease?

A chronic disease is one that continues over a much longer period than an acute illness, lasting for many months or years. A lot of common chronic diseases are incurable and require lifelong management.

There are many different kinds of chronic diseases. The most common chronic diseases seen by the team at Commonwealth Internal Medicine include:

• Cancer
• Arthritis
• Dementia
• Chronic pain
• Diabetes
• Renal (kidney) disease
• Osteoporosis
• Liver disease
• Asthma
• Heart disease
• Thyroid disorders 
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

Chronic diseases can have a severe impact on quality of life, often causing ongoing pain and disability. People who have chronic diseases often develop mental health problems like depression, as well. Patients require regular assessment and ongoing support to optimize their health and well-being.

What treatments are used in acute and chronic disease management?

Making the right diagnosis ensures you receive the correct treatment. As many conditions cause similar symptoms, you need to see an expert in internal medicine who has the knowledge and experience to diagnose your problem correctly, like the team at Commonwealth Internal Medicine.

Management of your condition can also vary depending on any existing health problems you have, and other factors, such as age. Some minor or less serious illnesses can be far more dangerous for older people, young infants, or those who have an immune system dysfunction.

Acute and chronic disease management could involve a combination of approaches. Medications can play an important role, such as antibiotics for certain bacterial infections. You might also need painkillers, anti-inflammatories, or antivirals, as well as drugs for specific conditions, such as:

• Anticonvulsants
• Statins
• Insulin
• Levothyroxine
• Blood pressure medication

While medication can be vital, it shouldn’t be the only form of treatment in most cases. Making lifestyle changes is an essential part of improving health and increasing your resilience to disease. Quitting smoking, regular exercise, eating a healthy diet, losing weight, and tackling stress can all make a tremendous difference to your health.

The team at Commonwealth Internal Medicine creates an individualized treatment plan for every patient, so you receive precisely the right acute or chronic disease management. Call them today to schedule a consultation.