Topic 5 - Non-Communicable Disease Flashcards
Give some examples of
non-communicable diseases
● Cancer
● Diabetes
● Cardiovascular diseases
● Chronic respiratory diseases e.g. asthma
What is a risk factor?
A variable associated with a greater chance of developing a disease or infection
Outline the factors that can affect the risk of developing a non-communicable
disease
● Lifestyle factors e.g. diet, exercise, alcohol, smoking
● Environmental factors e.g. exposure to pollution
● Genetics e.g. alleles that increase the risk of cancer
“Correlation does not mean causation.” Explain this statement.
Correlation between a risk factor and a disease does not mean that the risk factor
causes the disease. Other factors may be involved and some may be linked.
Describe how exercise affects the risk of some non-communicable diseases
● Regular exercise decreases fat stores, reducing obesity (a risk factor of CVD and type 2
diabetes)
● It decreases heart rate, recovery time and blood
pressure, lowering the risk of CVD
Describe how diet affects the risk of some non-communicable diseases
● Diet high in saturated fat raises blood cholesterol levels, increasing
the deposition of fatty deposits in the arteries ∴ greater risk of CVD
● Obesity and the consumption of large amounts of simple-sugars
increases the risk of type 2 diabetes
● Malnourishment increases the risk of deficiency diseases
Give an example of a deficiency disease
● Scurvy (vitamin C deficiency)
● Anaemia (iron deficiency)
What is the Body Mass Index (BMI)?
A value based on height and mass used to categorise an individual as underweight, normal weight, overweight or obese.
How is BMI calculated?
mass / height^2
Why isn’t BMI always an accurate measure of obesity?
Fat and muscle tissue cannot be distinguished so athletes may be incorrectly categorised as obese.
How is an individual’s waist-to-hip ratio calculated?
waist circumference / hip circumference both in cm
What does a waist-to-hip ratio higher than 1.0 in males or 0.85 in females indicate?
● Abdominal obesity
● Increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes
Describe how alcohol affects the risk of some non-communicable diseases
● Alcohol broken down into toxic products in the liver which build-up and cause cirrhosis (scarring of liver tissue)
● Alcohol raises blood pressure thus increasing the risk of CVD
● Toxic products in alcohol can cause mutations to DNA, increasing the risk of cancer (mouth, throat, liver etc.)
Describe how smoking affects the risk of some non-communicable diseases
● Nicotine raises heart rate, increasing the risk of CVD
● Carbon monoxide lowers the ability of red blood cells to carry oxygen, heart rate increases, increasing the risk of CVD
● Carcinogens in tar can cause mutations to DNA, increasing the risk of
cancer (mouth, throat, lung etc.)
● Smoking increases the risk of lung diseases e.g. chronic bronchitis
How do environmental factors affect the risk of some non-communicable diseases?
● Long-term exposure to pollution damages the airways, increasing the risk of lung diseases and lung cancer
● Exposure to UV radiation damages DNA, increasing the risk of DNA mutations and skin cancer
How do genetics affect the risk of some non-communicable diseases?
The risks of some diseases such as type 2 diabetes,
lung cancer and CVD are increased if a family member has had these conditions.
Faulty genes can be inherited which increase the risk of conditions such as breast cancer.
How do diseases interact with each other?
● Some diseases may cause other infections to develop e.g. HIV weakens the immune system, making an individual more susceptible to other infections such as TB.
● Some diseases reduce the risk of contracting other
infections e.g. Trichinosis reduces the development of
Crohn’s disease.
Describe the effects of
non-communicable disease on a local, national and global level
● Increased incidence of non-communicable disease puts a strain on local hospitals which have limited resources
● Increased pressure on NHS to provide treatment to a larger number of
patients. Sickness-related absence impacts a country’s economy
● High prevalence of malnutrition in LEDCs slows the development of
such countries which in turn impacts global development
What is cardiovascular disease (CVD)?
● Group of diseases affecting the heart or blood vessels
● Build up of fatty deposits on the walls of the arteries forms atheroma’s which reduce blood flow to muscle tissue
● Blood clots may form, blocking the arteries and stopping blood flow completely. This can lead to a heart attack or stroke.
How can CVD lead to a heart attack?
● Obstruction of a coronary artery (supplies heart muscle) due to an atheroma or blood clot
● Results in loss of blood supply to an area of heart muscle
● This causes death of the cells and leads to a heart attack
How can CVD be treated?
● Improving diet and lifestyle
● Medication
● Surgery
What changes to diet and lifestyle can be
made to reduce the risk of CVD?
● Regular exercise ● Reduce intake of saturated fat ● Maintenance of a healthy weight ● Diet low in salt ● Reduce stress ● Stop smoking and drinking alcohol
How effective are changes to lifestyle and diet in treating CVD?
Although not themselves effective in the treatment of CVD, they can enhance the efficiency of other methods of treatment.
Which medicines are used to treat CVD?
● Statins
● Anticoagulants
● Antihypertensives
Outline the benefits vs the risks of using statins to treat CVD
● Statins lower the level of cholesterol in the blood
● However, they can cause liver damage, kidney failure or problems with memory
Outline the benefits vs the risks of using anticoagulants to treat CVD
● Anticoagulants reduce blood clotting, lowering the
risk of a heart attack or stroke
● However, they can cause excessive bleeding
Outline the benefits vs the risks of using antihypertensives to treat CVD
● Antihypertensives lower blood pressure, reducing
damage to artery walls and the build up of atheromas
● However, they can have unpleasant side-effects such as headaches, dizziness or fainting
What are stents?
● Small, hollow tubes inserted into the lumen of arteries to keep them open
● Require surgery to insert
What are the problems with the use of stents to treat CVD?
● Stents cause the growth of scar tissue in the
arteries over time, further narrowing the lumen
● Blood clots may stick to stents
What is a coronary bypass?
Using a blood vessel from another region of the body (e.g. leg, arm) to divert blood around a blockage in the coronary artery.
What does a heart transplant involve?
● Replacing a damaged heart with a donated heart
● Immunosuppressant drugs taken to prevent organ rejection
Describe the benefits of heart surgery
● Lifesaving
● Can provide a permanent solution to a disease
Describe the risks of heart surgery
● Involves many risks e.g. infection, excessive bleeding etc.
● Difficult to find a suitable donor
● Risk of rejection
● Immunosuppressant drugs must be taken for life
● Long recovery time
● Expensive
