Unit 6 Chronic vs acute illnesses

Chronic vs. Acute Illnesses

Early Intervention Required for Chronic and Acute Illnesses

Many people with an illness do not seek immediate treatment. They simply believe they will eventually get better. They may not think that a pre-existing medical condition could actually worsen if they contract another illness. Such thinking is dangerous. Both chronic and acute illnesses that are left untreated can grow more severe. They can lead to even more serious complications at a later time.

Early intervention of chronic conditions is a must. Inadequate treatment can actually result in the occurrence of an acute condition. For example, improperly managed osteoporosis can lead to broken bones. Likewise, chronic bronchitis that is left untreated increases the risk of dangerous acute respiratory conditions like pneumonia.

Similarly, delaying treatment of acute conditions can trigger the onset of chronic ones. For example, a case of scarlet fever, caused by the strep virus, can lead to endocarditis. Not treating the fever in time can create life-threatening and long-term problems. Chronic high blood pressure is a risk factor for several life-threatening acute conditions, including stroke.

Fortunately, there is good news. Visiting a doctor in the early stages of an illness can help you avoid dangerous complications later. Seeking treatment early on can save time, money, and possibly even your life.

Get ready!

1️⃣ Before you read the passage, talk about these questions.

1. What are some common chronic and acute illnesses?
2. Why should patients always seek treatment for an illness?

Reading

2️⃣ Read the article. Then, choose the correct answers.

1. What is the main idea of the article?
   A. Chronic illnesses are often mistaken for acute conditions.
   B. Acute and chronic illnesses can complicate or cause one another.
   C. Treatment for acute illnesses is not always necessary.
   D. Pre-existing conditions often cause delays in treatment.
2. Why do people not seek medical treatment for an illness?
   A. They believe the illness will go away.
   B. They do not know if their condition is chronic or acute.
   C. They know about their pre-existing conditions.
   D. They worry about the expense of treatment.
3. Which of the following is NOT a complication that can arise from an untreated illness?
   A. High blood pressure can cause a stroke.
   B. Scarlet fever can cause endocarditis.
   C. Osteoporosis leads to broken bones.
   D. Pneumonia leads to chronic bronchitis.

Vocabulary

3️⃣ Match the words (1-6) with the definitions (A-F).

1. __ scarlet fever
2. __ pneumonia
3. __ chronic bronchitis
4. __ endocarditis
5. __ strep virus
6. __ osteoporosis

A. An organism that causes throat infections
B. A persistent condition in which tubes in the lungs swell and make it difficult to breathe
C. A chronic condition in which the bones slowly weaken and become prone to breaking
D. An acute condition in which the lungs become inflamed and filled with fluid
E. An acute illness characterized by a fever, sore throat, and bright red rashes on the body
F. A chronic condition in which the inner layers of the heart become inflamed due to bacteria growing inside

4. Read the sentence and choose the correct word.

1. The patient had a(n) pre-existing / intervention condition before contracting this illness.
2. There is no effective treatment for many conditions / interventions.
3. Ms. Smith has had the chronic / acute illness for five years.
4. The intervention / condition of this disease at an early stage is vital.
5. The condition was a(n) acute / pre-existing case that went away in a few days.

5. Listen and read the article again. Why is it important to seek early treatment for a chronic condition?

Listening

6. Listen to a conversation between a doctor and a patient. Mark the following statements as true (T) or false (F).

1. __ The woman will give the man antibiotics immediately.
2. __ The man came in as soon as he felt sick.
3. __ The man’s new condition may become chronic.

7. Listen again and complete the conversation.

Doctor: Well, it seems that you’ve come down with endocarditis. 1 _______________, that is?
Patient: I 2 _______________, but it sounds serious.
Doctor: It is. Basically, the lining of your heart is inflamed.
Patient: Oh, that’s bad. 3 _______________ it?
Doctor: Yes. I’ll start you on some antibiotics immediately. But this could have been avoided.
Patient: Really? How so?
Doctor: Well, you’ve had a sore throat for 4 _______________ _______________, haven’t you?
Patient: Yeah, but I figured it was just a cold.
Doctor: Definitely not. It’s 5 _______________. Normally, that’s an acute condition that we can 6 _______________ pretty quickly.
Patient: Okay, but how did that cause my other condition?
Doctor: Untreated, the infection moves to your heart, which it appears to have done. And now we have to get rid of that infection before it causes 7 _______________.
Patient: Lifelong?
Doctor: Yes. Unfortunately, endocarditis can become a chronic condition. It can damage your heart, brain, and liver.

Speaking

8. With a partner, act out the roles below based on Task 7. Then, switch roles.

USE LANGUAGE SUCH AS:

• You’ve come down with…
• I’ll start you on…
• I figured it was just…

Student A: You are a doctor. Talk to Student B about:

• a diagnosis
• how the patient got the condition
• possible consequences

Student B: You are a patient. Talk to Student A about chronic and acute conditions.

Writing

9. Use the conversation from Task 8 and the article to write notes on a patient. Include symptoms, acute conditions, and possible chronic conditions.

KEY

Unit 6

1. Suggested Answers

1. There are many kinds of chronic and acute illnesses. Pneumonia, a dangerous lung condition, is an acute illness. Chronic bronchitis is a common chronic illness.
2. Even a disease that does not seem serious can eventually cause complications. For this reason, it is important to always have a disease evaluated by a health professional.

2.

1. B
2. A
3. D

3.

1. E
2. D
3. B
4. F
5. A
6. C

4.

1. pre-existing
2. conditions
3. chronic
4. intervention
5. acute

5. Suggested Answer

• Chronic conditions that are left untreated can develop into serious medical problems. They will likely not go away on their own but rather will grow worse over time. They may also trigger the onset of a dangerous acute condition.

6.

1. T
2. F
3. T

7.

1. Do you know what
2. have no idea
3. Can we treat
4. quite some time
5. caused by the strep virus
6. knock out
7. life complications

8. Suggested Answer

A: You’ve come down with a bad case of pneumonia. Do you know what that is?
B: Yes.
A: Okay. I’ll start you on some antibiotics immediately. But this could have been avoided.
B: Really? How so?
A: Well, you’ve been sick for quite some time, haven’t you?
B: Yeah, but I figured it was just a cold.
A: Definitely not. Normally, we can knock out cases of pneumonia pretty quickly. But untreated, the infection gets worse. Now we have to get rid of that infection before it becomes a lifelong condition.

9. Suggested Answer

Patient Record
Patient: Jack Anderson
Symptoms: Mr. Anderson has several symptoms similar to a cold.
Acute Conditions: Mr. Anderson has pneumonia. Mr. Anderson did not seek treatment for several days. In that time, his infection has gotten worse.
Chronic Conditions: Mr. Anderson may or may not develop chronic pneumonia. We are starting him on antibiotics immediately to avoid a chronic condition.