B7) Non-communicable Diseases Flashcards
What are risk factors for disease?
1) Aspects of lifestyle e.g. smoking, lack of exercise, includes genes inherited.
2) Substances present in environment or in body e.g. ionising radiation, UV light from sun, or 2nd-hand tobacco smoke.
What are some risk factors for a number of non-communicable diseases?
Diet, obesity, fitness levels, smoking, drinking alcohol, + exposure to carcinogens in environment e.g. ionising radiation.
What does a causal mechanism explain?
How 1 factor influences another through a biological process.
What is known as a correlation?
A link or relationship suggested between the 2.
What are benign tumours?
Growths of abnormal cells contained in 1 place, usually within a membrane. Don’t invade other cells but can grow very large, very quickly. If causes pressure or damage to an organ, can be life-threatening. E.g. benign tumours on brain can be very dangerous as no extra room to grow into.
What are malignant tumour cells often referred to as?
Cancer.
What can malignant tumour cells do?
Spread around body invading neighbouring healthy tissues. Initial tumour may split up, releasing small clumps of cells into blood stream or lymphatic system. Circulate + carried to different parts of body where may lodge in another organ. Then continue uncontrolled division + form secondary tumours. Cancer cells not only ÷ faster than normal cells, also live longer. Growing tumour often completely disrupts normal tissues + if left untreated often kill person. Because of way malignant tumours spread around body, very difficult to treat them.
What are the causes of cancer?
Clear genetic risk factors for some cancers including early breast cancer + ovarian cancer.
Most cancers result of mutations- changes in genetic material. Chemical e.g. asbestos + tar found in tobacco, smoke can cause mutations that trigger formation of tumours. These cancer-causing agents called carcinogens.
Ionising radiation, e.g. UV light + X-rays, also interrupt normal cell cycle + cause tumours to form. E.g. melanomas appear when uncontrolled growth of pigment forming cells in skin as result of exposure to UV light from sun.
Can carbon monoxide be found in tobacco smoke?
Yes.
What can alcohol cause?
May develop cirrhosis of liver, disease that destroys liver tissue. Active liver cells replaced with scar tissue can’t carry out vital signs.
Alcohol is a carcinogen heavy drinkers at increased risk of developing lung cancer. Usually spreads rapidly + difficult to treat.
Long-term heavy alcohol also causes damage to brain. In some alcoholics brain so soft + pulpy normal brain structures lost + can no longer function properly. Can also cause death.
