Chapter B7- Non-communicable Diseases

Question 1

What are risk factors for disease?

Answer 1

Aspects of your lifestyle- smoking, lack of exercise, overeating
Substances that are present in the environment or in your body such as ionising radiation, UV light, second hand tobacco smoke
Genes you inherit
Age

Question 2

What are carcinogens?

Answer 2

Agents that cause cancer or significantly increase the risk of cancer

Question 3

What is a causal mechanism?

Answer 3

Explains how one factor may influence another through a biological process

Question 4

Give an example of a causal mechanism

Answer 4

Smoking increases the risk of lung cancer as carcinogens are taken into your lungs

Question 5

What are impacts of non communicable diseases?

Answer 5

Human impact- impact on individual or on family members

Financial cost- individual may not be able to work

Question 6

What is a tumour?

Answer 6

A mass of abnormally growing cells that forms when the cells do not respond to the normal mechanisms that control growth, and when the cell cycle has lost control

Question 7

What is a benign tumour?

Answer 7

Growth of abnormal cells, contained in one place, but does not invade other parts of the body

Question 8

Are benign tumours dangerous?

Answer 8

Yes, as they can cause pressure on your organs, for example, benign rumours on the brain as there is no space for them to grow

Question 9

What are malignant tumours?

Answer 9

Growth of abnormal cells that can spread around the body invading healthy neighbour tissues. This is often referred to as cancer

Question 10

How does a malignant tumour spread?

Answer 10

The initial tumour may split up, releasing small clumps of cells into the bloodstream, which circulate, and spread to others organs. They continue their uncontrolled division and form secondary tumours

Question 11

What are traits of cancer cells?

Answer 11

Divide more rapidly than normal cells

Live longer than normal cells

Question 12

What are the causes of cancer?

Answer 12

Genetic risk factors
Mutations due to chemicals- such as asbestos and tar found in tobacco
Ionising radiation- UV light and X-rays, can interrupt the cell cycle, causing tumours to grow
Virus infections- HPV causes cervical cancer

Question 13

How do we treat cancer?

Answer 13

Radiotherapy- cancer cells are destroyed by targeted dosages of radiation
Chemotherapy- chemicals are used to stop the cells dividing or make them self destruct

Question 14

Why is cancer hard to treat?

Answer 14

Due to the way cancer spreads through your body

Question 15

What is a problem of radiotherapy?

Answer 15

Can damage healthy cells

Question 16

How many smokers are there world wide?

Answer 16

1.1 billion smokers

Question 17

What is the addictive drug in cigarettes?

Answer 17

Nicotine

Question 18

Is nicotine harmful?

Answer 18

It is relatively harmless, however it is addictive which causes smokers to continue smoking the other harmful substances

Question 19

What is a poisonous gas found in tobacco smoke?

Answer 19

Carbon monoxide- takes up some of the oxygen carrying capacity in your blood

Question 20

What does smoking during pregnancy cause?

Answer 20

lack of oxygen to the foetus- Can lead to premature births, low birthweight babies and still births

Question 21

What effect does tobacco smoke have on cilia?

Answer 21

Causes it to be anaesthetised, allowing dirt and pathogens into the lungs and increasing risk of infections

Question 22

What toxic chemical accumulates in your lungs due to smoking?

Answer 22

Tar- turns lungs from pink to grey

Question 23

What effects does tar have on the lungs?

Answer 23

More likely to have bronchitis ( infection of the bronchus)
Breakdown to the alveoli structure (this causes the surface area of the alveoli to decrease, leading to severe breathlessness and eventual death)
Is a carcinogen- acts on delicate cells of the lungs and others in the breathing system- pharynx, larynx, trachea

Question 24

How does smoking affect the heart?

Answer 24

Smokers are more likely to suffer cardiovascular systems
Smoking narrows the blood vessels in your skin, ageing it
Nicotine makes the heart rate increase whilst other chemicals damage the lining of the arteries
Increases risk of clot formation
Increase in blood pressure
Increases risk of heart attacks and strokes

Question 25

What problems can obesity lead to?

Answer 25

Type 2 diabetes
High blood pressure
Heart disease

Question 26

What are people that exercise more regularly less likely to have?

Answer 26

Health problems such as type 2 diabetes

Question 27

What are some causal mechanisms that explains why exercise keeps you healthy?

Answer 27

More muscle tissue, increasing your metabolic rate, less likely to be overweight
This reduces the risk of developing arthritis, diabetes and high blood pressure
Heart will be fitter, so a better blood supply
Lowers your blood cholesterol levels and helps balance different types of cholesterol
Reduces risk of fatty deposits in your coronary arteries

Question 28

What is a risk factor of type 2 diabetes?

Answer 28

Being overweight and not doing much exercise

Question 29

How does your liver protect the body from alcohol?

Answer 29

Is poisonous, but the liver can usually remove it before permanent damage

Question 30

Is alcohol addictive?

Answer 30

Yes

Question 31

How does alcohol affect the body?

Answer 31

Effects your nervous system, making thought process, reflexes and many other reactions slower than normal

Question 32

What can large doses of alcohol lead to?

Answer 32

Unconsciousness, coma or death

Question 33

How can alcohol affect the liver?

Answer 33

May develop cirrhosis, a disease that destroys liver tissue. The active liver cells are replaced with scar tissue
Alcohol is a carcinogen so heavy drinkers risk developing liver cancer

Question 34

How can alcohol damage the brain?

Answer 34

The brain becomes soft and the normal brain structures are lost and it can no longer function properly- can cause death

Question 35

What happens if a pregnant women drinks alcohol?

Answer 35

It passes across the placenta into the developing baby- can lead to miscarriages, still birth, premature births, and low birthweight
The development of the babies brain and body of an unknown baby can be badly affected, especially in the early stages of pregnancy
May have facial deformities- problems with teeth, jaw or hearing, kidneys, liver and heart problems- this is known as feral alcohol syndrome

Question 36

How is ionising radiation a carcinogen?

Answer 36

The radiation penetrates the cells and damages the chromosomes, causing mutations in the DNA.

Question 37

What are sources of ionising radiation?

Answer 37

UV rays from the sun- increase risk of skin cancer
Radioactive materials found in soil, water and air
Medical and dental X-rays
Accidents in nuclear power plants- can spread ionising radiation over wide areas