The Philippine Embassy in Seoul wishes to share the following information on some of the more common health diseases affecting Filipinos in South Korea during the winter season. We enjoin the Filipino public to familiarize themselves with these common health diseases, including their causes and symptoms, and follow the precautionary steps to help prevent these.

1. Heart Disease (stroke and heart attack):

During the winter months the number of heart attacks and fatalities dramatically increases, particularly in areas that experience below freezing temperatures and significant snowfall. The cold weather causes blood vessels to constrict, which raises blood pressure. Hormonal changes due to winter months can make blood more susceptible to clotting, which can increase the size of what used to be small blockages.

Warning Signs for Stroke

• Sudden weakness or numbness of face or limb on one side
• Sudden, severe headache
• Difficulty talking or understanding speech
• Unexplained dizziness
• Sudden dimness/loss of vision, often in one eye

Warning Signs for Heart Attack

• Chest discomfort: uncomfortable pressure, squeezing or fullness
• Discomfort in other areas of the upper body: one or both arms or in the back, neck, jaw, or stomach
• Shortness of breath, either with chest discomfort or alone
• Other signs, including nausea, lightheadedness, or breaking out in a cold sweat

Risk Factors for Stroke

• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• High cholesterol
• Age (risk doubles for each decade over 55 years of age)
• Family history of stroke
• Smoking
• Birth control pills
• Excess alcohol
• Prior stroke or heart attack
• Gender (women are at greater risk than men)

Risk Factors for Heart Attack

• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Smoking
• High cholesterol
• Age
• Physical inactivity
• Gender (men are at greater risk than women)

Prevention of Heart Attack and Stroke

• Stop smoking
• Engage in physical activity
• Use diet therapy
• Maintain/reduce weight
• Control blood pressure
• Undergo cholesterol control/statin therapy
• Control blood sugar
• Limit alcohol intake

1. Pancreatitis

Doctors tend to see more cases of pancreatitis in the winter. Most cases of pancreatitis are caused by eating fatty foods and consuming large quantity of alcohol. Pancreatitis can be a very serious disease, and if not diagnosed and treated early, it can be fatal. Pancreatitis can occur as acute pancreatitis — meaning it appears suddenly and lasts for days. Or pancreatitis can occur as chronic pancreatitis, which is pancreatitis that occurs over many years. Mild cases of pancreatitis may go away without treatment, but severe cases can cause life-threatening complications.

Symptoms

Acute pancreatitis signs and symptoms include:

• Upper abdominal pain
• Abdominal pain that radiates to your back
• Abdominal pain that feels worse after eating
• Fever
• Rapid pulse
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Tenderness when touching the abdomen

Chronic pancreatitis signs and symptoms include:

• Upper abdominal pain
• Losing weight without trying
• Oily, smelly stools (steatorrhea)

Causes

• Alcoholism
• Gallstones
• Cigarette smoking
• Family history of pancreatitis
• High calcium levels in the blood
• High triglyceride levels in the blood
• Infection
• Injury to the abdomen

Complications

Pancreatitis can cause serious complications, including:

• Pseudocyst. Acute pancreatitis can cause fluid and debris to collect in cystlike pockets in your pancreas. A large pseudocyst that ruptures can cause complications such as internal bleeding and infection.
• Infection. Acute pancreatitis can make your pancreas vulnerable to bacteria and infection. Pancreatic infections are serious and require intensive treatment, such as surgery to remove the infected tissue.
• Kidney failure. Acute pancreatitis may cause kidney failure, which can be treated with dialysis if the kidney failure is severe and persistent.
• Breathing problems. Acute pancreatitis can cause chemical changes in your body that affect your lung function, causing the level of oxygen in your blood to fall to dangerously low levels.
• Diabetes. Damage to insulin-producing cells in your pancreas from chronic pancreatitis can lead to diabetes, a disease that affects the way your body uses blood sugar.
• Malnutrition. Both acute and chronic pancreatitis can cause your pancreas to produce fewer of the enzymes that are needed to break down and process nutrients from the food you eat. This can lead to malnutrition, diarrhea and weight loss, even though you may be eating the same foods or the same amount of food.
• Pancreatic cancer. Long-standing inflammation in your pancreas caused by chronic pancreatitis is a risk factor for developing pancreatic cancer.

When to see a doctor

Make an appointment with your doctor if you have persistent abdominal pain. Seek immediate medical help if your abdominal pain is so severe that you cannot sit still or find a position that makes you more comfortable.

1. Flu

Flu infection spread primarily during winter. According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, fall season sparks the onset of flu season, beginning in the autumn months and stretching into as late as May. The flu typically peaks in January and February during the brunt of winter.  Most people who get the flu will have mild illness, will not need medical care or antiviral drugs, and will recover in less than two weeks. Some people, however, are more likely to get flu complications that can result in hospitalization and sometimes death. Pneumonia, bronchitis, sinus infections and ear infections are examples of flu-related complications.

Flu Symptoms

• Fever or feeling feverish/chills
• Cough
• Sore throat
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Muscle or body aches
• Headaches
• Fatigue (tiredness)
• Some people may have vomiting and diarrhea

Emergency warning signs of flu sickness:

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
• Sudden dizziness
• Confusion
• Severe or persistent vomiting
• Flu-like symptoms that improve but then return with fever and worse cough

Prevention:

• Get a flu vaccine. Getting a flu shot every year is one of the best ways to protect yourself. The flu shot is recommended for everyone ages 6 months and older, including pregnant women.
• Avoid close contact with sick people
• Stay home if you’re sick, especially if you have a fever
• Cover your cough to protect others
• Wash your hands
• Limit how frequently you touch your mouth or nose

Sources:

1. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-disease/in-depth/heart-disease-prevention/art-20046502
2. http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/112/17/e273
3. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/pancreatitis/symptoms-causes/syc-20360227
4. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/consumer/symptoms.htm

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