9. Disruptions to homeostasis

Question 1

What is diabetes mellitus?

Answer 1

A conditon that occurs in people when they have abnormally high blood glucose levels

Question 2

How does a diabetic person react to insulin?

Answer 2

Either their body doesn’t produce it

Or their cells have an abnormal resistance to insulin and the effects of it

Question 3

What is the main role of insulin?

Answer 3

Stimulate cells to take in glucose from the blood

Also stimulates the conversion of glucose into glycogen by liver and muscle cells

Question 4

What happens if a person doesn’t produce or respond to insulin?

Answer 4

The amount of glucose in their blood remains high and they excrete large amounts in their urine

Question 5

When does Insulin-dependant diabetes begin?

Answer 5

It usually begins in childhood

Question 6

In Australia, how many people who suffer diabetes, have type 1 diabetes?

Answer 6

10-15%

Question 7

Why does type 1 diabetes occur?

Answer 7

Because a fault in the patients immune causes the destruction of beta cells in the Islets of Langerhans in the pancreas

Question 8

Do type 1 diabetes patients respond normally to insulin?

Answer 8

Yes, despite their body not producing it, normally they react to it like anybody else would

Question 9

Why cant a treatment of type 1 diabetes be tablets?

Answer 9

Because the tablets would go to a persons alimentary canal while insulin needs to enter the bloodstream

Question 10

What are the treatments for type 1 diabetes?

Answer 10

Regular injections of insulin or a programmable pump that provides a continuous supply of insulin under the skin

Question 11

Is type 1 diabetes curable?

Answer 11

No, the patient has to receive injections for the rest of their life

Question 12

What are the risks of type 1 diabetes even if you have regular injections?

Answer 12

Kidney failure
Heart attack
Stroke 
Amputation
Blindness
Nerve damage

Question 13

When does adult-onset diabetes develop?

Answer 13

Usually in people over 45yo but there has been an increasing amount of people under 45 developing it

Question 14

What is different about type 2 diabetes patients than type 1?

Answer 14

Type 2, patients are able to produce insulin but their cells don’t respond to it

Question 15

What are lifestyle factors that increase the risk of type 2 diabetes?

Answer 15

Lack of physical activity
Being overweight or obese
A diet that's regularly high in fat, sugar and salt, and low in fibre
High blood pressure
High blood cholesterol
Smoking

Question 16

How many Australians are estimated to know they have type 2 diabetes?

Answer 16

1/2 the people who have type 2 diabetes know they have it

Question 17

Is there a cure for type 2 diabetes?

Answer 17

No but the sooner a diagnosis is made, the better chance for a successful management plan of the condition

Question 18

What happens is type 2 diabetes remains uncured?

Answer 18

Increasing risk of
heart disease
stroke
kidney disease
eye problems
nerve damage
skin and foot problems

Question 19

What are the treatments for type 2 diabetes?

Answer 19

A management program that aims to keep blood glucose levels within normal range
careful diet
regular physical activity 
maintaining healthy weight
monitoring blood glucose levels
Medication if nothing else works

Question 20

Where is the thyroid gland located and what does it secrete?

Answer 20

Located in the neck and secretes thyroxine (t4) and tri-iodothyronine (T3)

Question 21

What des thyroxine affect?

Answer 21

Nearly every tissue by stimulating carbohydrate, protein and fat metabolism
Meaning the secretion of T4 regulates basal metabolic rate

Question 22

How does T4 maintain body temperature?

Answer 22

Some of the energy released from the chemical reactions stimulated by it produced heat

Question 23

How is T4 important in the long term homeostasis of body temperature?

Answer 23

it gradually changes the body temperature from summer to winter

Question 24

What is the secretion of T4 controlled by?

Answer 24

Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)

Question 25

Where is TSH secreted from?

Answer 25

The AL of PG but the release is controlled by the hypothalamus

Question 26

When does hyperthyroidism occur?

Answer 26

When the thyroid gland produces too much hormone

Question 27

What is the most common type of hyperthyroidism?

Answer 27

Graves disease

Question 28

What is hyperthyroidism?

Answer 28

An enlargement of the thyroid caused by an immune reaction, it's not inherited but seems to have a genetic predisposition

Question 29

Symptoms of hyperthyroidism:

Answer 29

``` Rapid heart beat Weight loss Increased appetite Fatigue Sweating Anxiety ```

Question 30

How is hyperthyroidism treated?

Answer 30

Treated with drugs that block the thyroid glands use of iodine Surgery to remove some or all of the gland Drink radioactive iodine Iodine molecules are taken in by the thyroid cells which are killed due to radioactivity Cells elsewhere don't absorb the iodine Eventually excreted through urine

Question 31

What is hypothyroidism?

Answer 31

When there is too little thyroxine and is much more common than hyperthyroidism

Question 32

When does hypothyroidism occur?

Answer 32

Wither through problems with the thyroid gland or due to problems with the pituitary gland of the hypothalamus

Question 33

Symptoms of hypothyroidism:

Answer 33

``` Slow heart rate Unexplained weight gain Fatigue Lack of energy Intolerance to cole Swelling of face and goitre (thyroid) ```

Question 34

Explain the thyroid gland problem that is due to lack of iodine

Answer 34

Deficiency of iodine in the diet can prevent the thyroid from making enough hormones

Question 35

Why is it important to have enough iodine while pregnant?

Answer 35

If you don't, it affects the babys brain and physical retard development Baby may be born with cretinism- severly retarded mental and physical growth and impaired movement and hearing

Question 36

What does cancer of the thyroid mean in terms of producing T4?

Answer 36

Due to cancer, part or all of the gland may be removed making it impossible to produce enough hormones

Question 37

Treatments for hypothyroidism:

Answer 37

Tablets containing thyroid hormone must be taken for the rest of the patients life. Needs to be closely monitored as too little prescribed, wont relieve symptoms Too much prescribed, results in hyperthyroidism

Question 38

How did diabetes used to be created?

Answer 38

By using insulin from the pancreas of cows and pigs

Question 39

What was the problems with using animals for diabetes treatments?

Answer 39

Supplies were expensive and limited | Extracts had to be purified and even then patients suffered allergic reaction

Question 40

What is now used to make insulin for diabetes patients?

Answer 40

Recombinant DNA that was cultured and yeast

Question 41

How did hypothyroid patients used to be treated?

Answer 41

With tablets made from dried and powdered thyroid glands of animals

Question 42

What is the most common prescribed drug for thyroid hormone replacement?

Answer 42

Levothyroxine

Question 43

How is hGH made?

Answer 43

It is synthesised by cells in the APG and is essential for normal growth and metabolism

Question 44

What does it mean if you have a hGH deficiency?

Answer 44

Results in retardation, dwarfism and can result from either inherited or acquired disease

Question 45

How did hGH used to be treated?

Answer 45

Previously had to be extracted from PG of deceased people but a single years supply required up to 50 PG, creating significant shortages

Question 46

How is hGH made now?

Answer 46

Made by genetically engineered E.Coli bacteria which has created a virtually unlimited supply

Question 47

What else can hGH be used for?

Answer 47

Treat growth problems Enhance athletes performance Anti-ageing treatments

Question 48

How do non-medicinal drugs disrupt homeostasis?

Answer 48

By binding to receptor proteins on neurons and other cells | It can now speed up or slow down the transmission of nerve impulses

Question 49

How can excessive activity disrupt homeostasis?

Answer 49

Can cause physical damage to structures like tendons, ligaments, muscles, cartilage, bones and joints Also due to the fact nutrition may not be adequate, might cause muscle mass to be reduced as it is being used for energy

Question 50

How can eating habits disrupt homeostasis?

Answer 50

Inadequate levels of certain vitamins and minerals in the diet can lead to deficiency diseases Hypothalamus is main regulator of appetite

Question 51

How can Emphysema disrupt homeostasis?

Answer 51

Reduces the surface area for gas exchange so there is difficulty taking in oxygen

Question 52

What is emphysema?

Answer 52

A lung disease in which the walls of alveoli break down, resulting in abnormally large air sac Most common cause is smoking

Question 53

How can fevers disrupt homeostasis?

Answer 53

For infectious diseases, a higher body temp helps the immune system overcome infection It disrupts homeostasis as many of the reactions occurring in the body are heat sensitive

Question 54

How can hypertension disrupt homeostasis?

Answer 54

High blood pressure occurring when homeostatic responses are unable to keep the blood pressure at normal level

Question 55

How can injuries disrupt homeostasis?

Answer 55

Excessive blood loss would limit the supply of oxygen and glucose to the cells, and removal of CO2 and other wastes Punctured or collapsed lung would impair the exchange of gas