Non-Communicable Diseases Flashcards
What is CHD?
Coronary Heart Disease
What causes CHD?
- Build up of fatty material within coronary arteries
- This reduces blood flow, so less oxygen for heart muscle
What can CHD lead to?
Heart attacks
Name 4 treatments for cardiovascular diseases.
Stent, statin, transplants, replacement of faulty heart valves
What is a stent?
Something inserted into blocked coronary arteries to keep them open.
What are the advantages of a stent?
- Widens artery so increases blood flow, so increases oxygen to heart
- Less serious surgery
What are the disadvantages of a stent?
- Can involve major surgery - can cause infection, blood loss, clots, damage to vessels…
- Risks from anaesthetic during surgery
What are statins?
Drugs that reduce blood cholesterol levels -> slows down deposit of fatty material
What are the advantages of statins?
- Effective
- No surgery
- Can prevent CHD from developing
What are the disadvantages of statins?
- Side effects such as muscle pain, headaches, sickness
- Cannot cure CHD - tablets need retaking
What happens in the replacement of faulty heart valves?
Faulty valves (that leak or do not fully open) can be replaced with biological or mechanical valves
What are the advantages of the replacement of faulty heart valves?
- Allows control of blood flow to heart
- Long-term cure
What are the disadvantages of the replacement of faulty heart valves?
- Can involve major surgery - risk of infection, blood loss
- Risks from anaesthetic used during surgery
What are artificial hearts used for?
To keep patients alive while:
1. Waiting for transplant
2. Allowing heart to rest during recovery
What are the advantages of heart transplants?
- Long-term cure for serious problems
- Treats problems that cannot be treated in other ways
What are the disadvantages of heart transplants?
- Risk of rejection
- Lengthy process
- Major surgery - risk of infection, blood loss
- Risks from anaesthetic during surgery
What is a risk factor?
Any aspect of someone’s lifestyle/substances in their body that can increase the risk of disease.
Name 4 common risk factors.
- Diet and exercise
- Alcohol
- Smoking
- Carcinogens
Name a disease that an unhealthy diet and exercise levels can lead to.
- Type 2 diabetes
- Cardiovascular diseases
How does diet and exercise lead to cardiovascular diseases?
Increased blood cholesterol can lead to CHD
How does diet and exercise lead to type 2 diabetes?
Body does not respond properly to insulin -> blood glucose levels cannot be controlled
Name 3 risks/diseases from alcohol consumption.
- Impaired liver function
- Impaired brain function
- Development of babies
How does alcohol lead to impaired liver function?
Long-term alcohol use causes liver cirrhosis (scaring) -> liver cannot remove toxins from body or produce sufficient bile
How does alcohol lead to impaired brain function?
Damages brain, can cause anxiety and depression
