B7 - Non-communicable Diseases Flashcards
What are carcinogens?
agents that cause cancer or significantly increase the risk of developing cancer
What is a causal mechanism?
something that explains how one factor influences another
What is correlation?
an apparent link or relationship between two factors
What is ionising radiation?
has enough energy to cause ionisation in the materials it passes through, which in turn can make them biologically active and may result in mutation and cancer
What is a non-communicable disease?
A disease that cannot spread from one person to another
What are risk factors for diseases?
- Aspects of your lifestyle such as smoking, lack of exercise, or overeating
- Substances that are present in the environment or in your body such as ionising radiation, UV light from the sun, or second-hand tobacco smoke
- Age
- Genetic makeup
Why do scientists need to do research before declaring a correlation of 2 things as a causal mechanism?
They have to do lots of research as it may just be a correlation but not actually a causation
What are the impacts of non-communicable diseases?
Every serious disease has an impact on human life. Local communities are often tasked with supporting and looking after those who are ill, this could also have a financial cost as if a wage-earner becomes ill they will not be able to work. Diseases also cost nations huge sums of money treating those who are ill and the loss of money when people are not working
What % of disease related deaths are non-communicable?
70%
What is the addictive, but fairly harmless, drug found in tobacco?
Nicotine
Why do people like to smoke?
Nicotine produces a sensation of calm, well being, and “being able to cope”
What is a harmful gas found in tobacco smoke?
Carbon Monoxide (CO)
Why do smokers get more breathless then non-smokers?
After smoking a cigarette, up to 10% of the blood will be carrying carbon monoxide rather than oxygen. This can lead to a shortage of oxygen causing the smoker to be breathless. Tar in the smoke also causes a breakdown fo the structure of teh alveoli
What can smoking during pregnancy cause?
Premature birthsLow birthweight*Stillbirths
Why does smoking during pregnancy cause issues?
During a pregnancy a mother is carrying oxygen for her developing fetus as well as herself. If the mothers blood is carrying carbon monoxide, the fetus may not get enough oxygen to grow properly
What does tobacco smoke contain?
- Nicotine, which is an addictive substance in the smoke
- Carbon Monoxide, a toxic gas, which replaces oxygen in the red blood cells
- Tar, which is a sticky black substance that accumulates in the lungs and is also carcinogenic
- Chemicals that anaesthetise the cilia in the airways and prevent them wafting up the mucus
How many stillbirths are there in the UK each year?
3500
How many stillbirths in the UK are caused by smoking?
20%, 700
How are chemicals in tobacco smoke harmful?
the cilia in the trachea and bronchi that move mucus, bacteria, and dirt away form the lungs are anaesthetised by some of the chemicals. They stop working for a time, allowing dirt and pathogens down into the lungs and increasing the risk of infections. Mucus also builds up over time and causes coughing
How is tar in tobacco smoke harmful?
Tar is a sticky, black chemical that that accumulates in the lungs, turning them from pink to grey. Tar makes smokers much more likely to develop bronchitis. The build-up of tar in the delicate lung tissue can lead to a breakdown in the structure of the alveoli, causing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This reduces the surface area to volume ratio of the lungs, leading to severe breathlessness and eventually death. Tar is also a carcinogen. It acts on the delicate cells of the lungs and greatly increases the risk of lung cancer developing. Tar also causes other cancers of the breathing system, for example, larynx and trachea
How does smoking affect your chances of getting cardiovascular disease?
The chemicals in tobacco smoke also effect the heart and blood vessels. Scientists have data showing that smokers are more likely to suffer from cardiovascular problems than non-smokers. They have also worked out that this is a causal mechanism, not just a correlation
How does smoking increase your chances of getting cardiovascular disease?
Smoking narrows the blood vessels in your skin, ageing it. Nicotine makes the heart rate increase whilst other chemicals damage the lining of the arteries. This makes coronary heart disease more likely, and it increases the risk of clot formation. The mixture of chemicals in cigarette smoke also lead to an increase in blood pressure. This combination of effects increases the risk of suffering cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks and strokes
What happens if you eat more food than you need?
If you eat more food than you need, the excess is stored as fat. You need some body fat to cushion your internal organs and act as an energy store. However, over time regularly eating too much food will make you overweight and then obese.
What can obesity lead to?
Type 2 diabetesHigh blood pressure*Heart disease
