B6.3 Non-communicable disease

Question 1

What is Cardiovascular disease definition?

Answer 1

A group of non communicable diseases affecting the heart and blood vessels

Question 2

Risk factors for cardiovascular disease?

Answer 2

• Smoking and high blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Not enough exercise
• Obesity
• Family history of CVD

Question 3

Main types of Cardiovascular diseases and their definitions?

Answer 3

1) Coronary Heart Disease: When the blood supply to heart muscles as blood vessels like coronary arteries become restricted
2) Stroke: Part of the blood supply to the brain becomes cut off
3) Peripheral arteries disease: when there’s a blockage in the arteries to the limbs - usually the legs
4) Aortic disease: Groups of conditions affecting the aorta (largest blood vessel in the body)

Question 4

How is cardiovascular disease caused:

Answer 4

A process called atherosclerosis

1) High blood pressure damages artery walls
2) Cholesterol (plaque) builds up in these areas blocking the arteries lumen preventing blood flow (oxygen supply)

Question 5

Why is Cardiovascular an example of positive feedback?

Answer 5

1) It is caused by high blood pressure causing damage to the arteries walls
2) Cholesterol builds up in these areas narrowing the lumen
3) The blood pressure further increases damaging the artery walls even more

Question 6

Treatments for Cardiovascular disease and its definitions?

Answer 6

Artificial valves: A device implanted into the heart of a patient to replace faulty valves

Biological valves: Based on valves taken from animals like pigs and cattle

Stents: Stents are pushed into a position in the artery to open it up

Bypass surgery: A vein is transplanted to create another direction for blood to flow freely

Statins: Drugs to lower cholesterol levels by preventing the liver from prevent as much

Heart transplant: Operation to replace damaged heart with a health one from a donor which has just died

Question 7

Advantages and disadvantages to Cardiovascular disease treatments?

Answer 7

1) Artificial valves
ADV: No rejection
DIS: Can damage red blood cells so patients need to anti-clotting drugs

2) Biological valves
ADV: No need for blood thinning drug as it doesn’t damage red blood cells
DIS: Valve can harden and needs replacing

3) Stents
ADV: low risk of infection
DIS: Fatty deposits can still build up again

4) Bypass surgery
ADV: No rejection risk and is very effective
DIS: Major surgery so risks are involved

5) Statins
ADV: Reduce build up of cholesterol in arteries
DIS: Possible side effects (like liver damaging)
Patients has to remember to take drug regularly

6) Heart transplant
ADV: A better quality of life (improved strength and stamina
A normal day to day life
DIS: Donor shortages
Major surgery
Anti - rejection drugs needed for life

Question 8

What causes cancer in the body?

Answer 8

Uncontrollable cell division

Question 9

Why is cancer hard to treat?

Answer 9

Cancer cells don’t stimulate an immune response as the cells aren’t foreign to out body

Question 10

What is a tumor definition and what are the two types of tumors?

Answer 10

Tumor: a mass of abnormally dividing cells

Benign and a malignant tumor

Question 11

Difference between the two tumors?

Answer 11

Benign tumor: Grows in one place and doesn’t spread

Malignant: Divides rapidly as it doesn’t regulate cell cycle and can invade / spread to other places in the body

Question 12

How does cancer start?

Answer 12

As a mutation - a change in base sequence which changes protein formed - in a gene which controls cell cycle

Question 13

Environmental / lifestyle risk factors of cancer?

Answer 13

• exposure to ionizing radiation: UV, X-ray, Gamma, beta, alpha
• exposure to carcinogen: a chemical that can cause mutations in DNA and increase cancer development (like coal fumes or tar in Tabaco)
• Diet

Question 14

5 general risk factors of cancer:

Answer 14

• Age: cells are more vulnerable as body ages
• Genetics: Family history with cancer more likely
• Environment: Radiation, Carcinogens, diet
• Hormones: linked to levels of certain hormones in body
• Infections: cancer linked to some viral infections

Question 15

What is the benefits of sequencing genomes in medicine?

Answer 15

• identify genetic diseases faster
• provide treatments more accurately and rapidly
• improved prevention of obtaining genetic disease

Question 16

What were the aims of the Human Genome project?

Answer 16

1) Identifying the functions of all 20,000 - 25,000 genes that make up the human body
2) Identifying where each gene is located
3) Determine the sequence of base pairs that make up human DNA
4) To store all the information in public databases

Question 17

Ethical concerns of Human genome project?

Answer 17

1) Lack of privacy
2) people under pressure to terminate pregnancies if child has genetic defect
3) Increased pressure in germline therapy (modifying embryos for specific characteristics) to stop children inheriting genetic defects
4) May lead to discrimination in jobs
5) May lead to higher insurance if someone has genetic defect

Question 18

What is gene therapy?

Answer 18

A branch of medicine that doesn’t involve adding DNA from other organism (like genetic engineering) but introducing a functioning copy of a gene into cells that carry the defected version

Question 19

What is cystic fibrosis and its symptoms?

What can be done to cure CF?

Answer 19

An inherited genetic disorder
SYMPTOMS
- thick and sticky mucus which build up and cannot be moved by cilia which causes:
-> bacteria build up and infection
-> prevent gas exchange
CURE FOR CF
Introduce a functioning copy of the CFTR gene by the patient breathing it in virus containing it

Question 20

Why is gene therapy an only temporary cure?

Answer 20

• All cells in the human body contain the same genetic material in their nucleus
• Many cells treated by gene therapy are adult cells and don’t divide by mitosis (forming genetically identical cells) and they eventually die
• Any modification that is made to DNA of these cells will be lost when they die and new cells which will form will contain the original DNA of the patient with the defected gene
• To do a permanent cure, all DNA must be modified in the organism which is currently impossible