SAC 1. Conditions impacting the Health Status of Australians Flashcards
low birth weight
A baby born under 2.5kg.
Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD)
An umbrella term that describes a range of conditions that can occur in children exposed to alcohol before birth.
neural tube defects
Conditions characterised by damage to the brain and spine, and to nerve tissue of the spinal cord during prenatal development e.g. spina bifida.
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
The unexplained death, usually during sleep, of a seemingly healthy baby less than a year old.
Sometimes known as ‘crib death’ because infants often pass away in their crib/cot.
cardiovascular disease (CVD)
All diseases of the heart and blood vessels.
Caused mainly by reduced blood supply to the heart, brain and legs (often caused by atherosclerosis).
atherosclerosis
The build up of plaque on blood vessel walls, hardening blood vessels, making it harder for blood to get through.
coronary heart disease (ischemic heart disease)
When blood vessels feeding the heart oxygen are damaged or blocked.
Heart attack = one of the vessels becomes completely blocked (sometimes called ischemic heart disease).
cerebrovascular disease (stroke)
When blood vessels feeding the brain with oxygen become damaged or blocked.
Commonly referred to as a stroke.
hypertension/high blood pressure
When blood is being pumped through the arteries at a harder and faster rate than is considered normal/healthy.
cancer
A range of diseases categorised by uncontrolled and abnormal cell growth.
Cancer cells can spread to other parts of the body causing further damage.
lung cancer
Uncontrollable growth of abnormal cells in the lungs.
These cells can eventually prevent healthy cells from transferring oxygen to the blood cells.
colorectal cancer
Uncontrollable growth of abnormal cells in the colon (large intestine/bowel) and rectum.
Begin as non-cancerous polyps in the lining of the colon and develop into cancer if not removed.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
Progressive, long term lung diseases where damage to the lungs obstructs oxygen intake making breathing difficult.
Two most common forms are emphysema and bronchitis.
asthma
A chronic condition that affects the small air passages of the lungs when exposed to certain triggers the airways narrow, making it difficult to breathe.
dementia
An umbrella term to describe collection of symptoms that are caused by disorders affecting the brain.
Leading cause is Alzheimer’s disease.
Alzheimers disease
A progressive and irreversible loss of brain function that interferes with normal behavior patterns, thinking, memory, language, speech, attention, personality and ability to perform everyday tasks e.g. socialising, working.
As brain cells continue to die this eventually leads to complete dependency on other people and ultimately death.
infectious/communicable diseases
Caused by infectious agents such as bacteria, viruses or parasites and can be passed from one person or animal to another.
obstetric haemorrhage
Excessive, severe bleeding during pregnancy, labour or after childbirth.
Pre-eclampsia
High blood pressure during pregnancy - increased demands on the heart and blood vesssels that occur during pregnancy can contribute to CVD that was not there prior to pregnancy.
musculoskeletal conditions
Ill health related to the muscles, joints and bones.
arthritis
A term used to describe a disorder/inflammation of one or more joint.
osteoarthritis
The degradation of joints and cartilage, causing stiffness and tenderness, inflammation, pain and locking - mainly due to wear of the cartilage over years.
osteoporosis
Porous bones; bone density thins and weakens, resulting in an increased risk of fracture (break).
overweight
Excess adipose tissue.
When a person has a BMI of 25 or higher.
obesity
Excess adipose tissue
When a person has a BMI of 30 or over.
Body Mass Index (BMI)
A statistical measure of body mass using height and weight, formula = weight(kg)/height (m)2
diabetes mellitus
A metabolic disease which leads to high blood glucose levels from defective insulin secretion, insulin action or both.
HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus)
A virus that attacks the immune system, interfering with the body’s ability to fight infections.
Transmitted through contact with infected blood, semen or vaginal fluids.
Antiretroviral treatment but no cure for HIV and eventually progresses to AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome).
Iron deficiency anaemia
Low red blood cell count/insufficient haemoglobin (oxygen carrying component of blood) causes a lack of oxygen to body’s organs. Symptoms include fatigue, pale skin, light headedness, dizziness, fast heartbeat, shortness of breath.
Dental carries/tooth decay
The breakdown of tooth structure over time due to acids produced by bacteria.
