Modern Medicine Flashcards
What was the understanding about the cause of disease in this period?
It was clear that microbes did not cause all disease and illness. The cause of hereditary diseases were still unknown.
When was the cause of hereditary disease discovered?
1953 - when DNA was discovered.
How was DNA discovered?
By Watson and Crick - they saw enhanced X-rays of DNA created by Franklin and Wilkins and built their own model of DNA and started to understand it’s structure.
What were scientists able to do once they understood DNA’s structure?
Break it apart and look at the parts which caused hereditary diseases.
When was the Human Genome project started and when did it finish?
Started in 1990. Finished in 2000.
What did the Human Genome project help scientists to do?
Look for the mistakes in the human genome which caused hereditary disease.
What was the Human Genome project?
Scientists all over the world worked to decode and map the human genome.
What was the impact of the discovery of DNA and the genome project?
Not yet led to the treatment of genetic conditions but actions can be made to prevent disease (e.g. mastectomy - removal of the breast to prevent breast cancer)
How has understanding of lifestyle affecting illness improved?
- Smoking has been linked to cancer and heart disease.
- Unhealthy diet’s have been linked to type 2 diabetes.
- Drinking has been linked to kidney and liver disease.
How has diagnosis been improved?
X-rays
CT and MRI scans
Ultrasound
ECG
Endoscope
Blood testing
What do CT and MRI scans help to diagnose?
Internal damage and tumours.
What do ultrasounds help diagnose?
Kidney stones.
What does ECG help diagnose?
Irregular heart movement.
What does an endoscope help diagnose?
Digestive problems.
What are 2 examples of magic bullets developed in this period?
Salvarsan 606
Prontosil
What was Salvarsan 606?
First example of magic bullet - attacks microbes without harmful side effects.
Who developed Salvarsan 606 and when?
Paul Ehrlich in 1909
What is prontosil?
A cure for blood poisoning.
Who developed prontosil and when?
Gerhard Domagk in 1932.
What are antibiotics?
Medicines that destroy or limit the growth of bacteria in the human body.
When did Fleming discover penicillin?
1928
How did Fleming discover penicillin?
Noticed a mould growing in his petri dish had killed the staphylococci (cause of blood poisoning).
What did Fleming do after his discovery?
Published his findings in an article but did not pursue it any further as he didn’t have the funding.
When did Florey and Chain start to build on Fleming’s discovery?
1937
How did Florey and Chain build on Fleming’s discovery?
Discovered Fleming’s article.
Grew own penicillin mould.
Tested it on 8 mice in 1940.
When did Florey and Chain first test on a human?
1940
What happened to the policeman they were testing on?
Began to recover but died after 5 days when the drug ran out.
What 2 factors helped in the mass development of penicillin?
- Government funding.
- World War 2
How did government funding help the development of penicillin?
US government agreed to pay 21 pharmaceutical companies to make gallons of it.
Why was WW2 a significant factor in the development of penicillin?
Huge quantities were needed to treat soldiers with infected wounds.
How many doses of penicillin were there to treat all Allied wounds by D-day (June 1944)?
2.3 million doses.
What other antibiotics followed penicillin?
Streptomycin (1944) - treated tuberculosis
Tetracycline (1953) - skin infections
What other drugs were developed in the 20th century?
Vaccines to treat polio.
Tranquilisers
Birth control pill
Pills for depression
What is the long term impact of penicillin?
Led to new antibiotics being discovered and with huge government sponsorship to develop it.
Led to the pharmaceutical companies having the finance to develop drugs and fund more research.
What negative impact has the development of drugs had?
Sometimes comapnies take short cuts and not test drugs properly - thalidomide (babies born with deformities)
Give examples of high-tech medical and surgical treatments that have emerged in this period.
Radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
Dialysis
Prosthetic limbs
Organ transplants
Keyhole surgery
What is dialysis?
Wash the blood of patients with kidney failure.
Why is keyhole surgery improtant?
Prevents cutting into the patient’s body.
When was the NHS introduced?
1948
Why was the introduction of the NHS significant?
End to laissez faire.
Large intervention by the government in medical care.
How was the NHS improved in the 1960s?
More hospitals built across GB.
GPs given incentives to make sure they kept up to date with medical developments.
What prevention methods have the government used in this period?
Mass vaccinations
Legislation
Lifestyle campaigns
What are some examples of the government investing in vaccines?
Diphtheria 1942 and polio in 1950.
Give examples of legislation passed by the government to help prevent disease.
Clean Air Acts passed in 1956 and 1968 - to prevent smog and respiratory illnesses.
Health Act 2006 - illegal to smoke in eclosed workplaces.
What has the Change4Life campaign targeted?
Better diet and more exercise to tackle obesity.
What have lifestyle campaigns targeted?
Smoking, drug use and drinking.
How has the diagnosis of lung cancer been developed in this period?
Use of technology to improve early diagnosis.
PET-CT scan to identify cancerous cells.
How has the treatment of lung cancer been developed in this period?
- Operation to remove tumour.
- Radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
- Transplants where cancerous cells can be replace by healthy ones from a donor.
How has the prevention of lung cancer been developed in this period?
Smoking banned in public places in 2007.
Smoking banned in cars carrying children from 2015.
Legal age for buying tobacco raised to 18 in 2007.
How has the government intervened with the selling of cigarettes?
Cigarette displays removed from shops displays in 2012.
Cigarette advertising banned in 2005.
Annual increases on taxes on tobacco products.
What are the pressures facing the NHS?
Cost - technology becoming more advanced, operations and treatments become more expensive.
Not completely free - prescriptions and dental treatment have to be paid for.
Drug companies sell drugs too expensively NHS can’t afford it.
