PATH 161 - Stress and Environmental Hazards

Question 1

Stress - Definition

Answer 1

• rate of all wear and tear caused by life
• non-specific response of the body to any
  demand made on it
• result of homeostasis

Question 2

Stressors - Definition

緊張刺激(物)

Answer 2

• factors that creates a significant change in
  the body or environment
• may be:
  
  1. physical: pain / infection / trauma / temp.
  2. psychological: anxiety / fear / joy
  3. combo of physical and psychological

Question 3

Stress Response - GAS

General Adaptation Syndrome
Definition

Answer 3

• concept described by Hans Selye
• defined as “fight or flight” response
• predictable sequence of reactions that
  organisms show in response to stressors

Question 4

Stress Response - GAS

General Adaptation Syndrome
3 Stages

Answer 4

1. Alarm Reaction
   when emotional arousal occurs and the
   body prepares its defensive force to meet
   the threat
2. Resistance
   intense physiological efforts to either
   resist or adapt to the stressor
3. Exhaustion
   loss of the ability to adapt when there is
   severe stress
   body is not able to respond further
   limit to the adaptive energy of the body

Question 5

Stress Response - GAS

General Adaptation Syndrome
Effects on the body

Answer 5

1. Increase in:
   
   • BP and HR
   • blood glucose and energy
   • ventilation
2. bronchodilation 支氣管擴張
3. arousal of the central nervous system
4. decrease inflammatory and immune
   response

Question 6

Roles of stress of development of disease

Answer 6

• an exacerbating factor

- could be physical or emotional

Question 7

Copying Mechanisms / Strategies

Answer 7

1. important to recognize stressors and
    positive ways to deal with them
2. support system is essential
3. strategies:
    - counseling
    - lifestyle changes
    - relaxation techniques
    - exercise program
    - distracting activities
    - medications for anxiety
    - regular moderate exercise
    - methodical approach

Question 8

Environmental Hazards

Chemical

Answer 8

• ingested
• inhaled
• absorbed through the skin
• various types:
  
  1. heavy metals - lead poisoning
  2. inhalants

Question 9

Environmental Hazards

Chemical - Heavy Metals
Lead Poisoning (Definition)

Answer 9

• normal level of lead in the blood is ZERO
• age 12-36 months at greatest risk
• increase mobility
• result in more access to lead hazards
• develop nervous system is more
  susceptible 易受影響的 to side effect of lead

Question 10

Environmental Hazards

Chemical - Heavy Metals
Lead Poisoning (Symptoms)

Answer 10

• neurological damage
• headache, irritability
• learning difficulties
• slow speech development
• hyperactivity
• abdominal pain
• vomiting
• weight loss
• anemia

Question 11

Environmental Hazards

Chemical - Heavy Metals
Lead Poisoning (Effects)

Answer 11

• reading and learning difficulties
• speech and language handicaps
• neurological deficits:
  lowered IQ / mental retardation
  behavioral problems
• kidney disease
• heart disease
• stroke
• death

Question 12

Environmental Hazards

Chemical - Inhalant 吸入的
3 types

Answer 12

1. particulate 微粒的
   
   • asbestos
   • common in mining and other industries
   • frequently cause lung damage
2. gaseous
   
   • cabon monoxide
3. combination
   
   • smog, cigarette smoke

Question 13

Environmental Hazards

Physical Hazards (4 types)
Hyperthermia  體溫過高

Answer 13

• excessive elevation in body temperature
• may lead to:
  
  1. heat cramps
     skeletal muscle spasms caused by loss
     of electrolytes
  2. heat exhaustion
     sweating, headache, nausea, dizziness
     loss of water and Na+
     leading to hypovolemia 血容量過低
  3. heat stroke
     with shock coma
     occur commonly in elderly and infants
     very high core body temperature

Question 14

Environmental Hazards

Physical Hazards (4 types)
Hypothermia 體溫過低

Answer 14

1. exposure to extreme cold temperature
2. localized effects:
   
   • frostbite
   • may result in necrosis and gangrene
3. systemic effects:
   
   • shivering / numbness
   • lethargy and confusion
   • slowed pulse rate and respiration
   • drop in core body temperature
   • result in hypovolemia shock and necrosis
   • LOC = Level Of Consciousness

Question 15

Environmental Hazards

Physical Hazards (4 types)
Radiation

Answer 15

1. Sources:
   
   • natural: sun / radioactive materials in soil
   • other: radon gas / industry / diagnostic &
     therapeutic medical procedures /
     nuclear reactors
2. may result from a single exposure or be
   cumulative
3. damages DNA, especially rapidly dividing
   cells

Question 16

Environmental Hazards

Physical Hazards (4 types)
Noise

Answer 16

• risk of hearing impairment
• may result from single loud noise or
  cumulative damage

Question 17

Environmental Hazards

Biologic Agents
Bites and Stings

Answer 17

• direct injection of toxin
• transmission of infectious agents
• allergic reactions / anaphylaxis

Question 18

Environmental Hazards

Biologic Agents
Contaminated water

Answer 18

• oral-fecal contamination
  poor hygiene / sanitation
• inadequate sewage treatment or run-off
• seepage 滲出物

Question 19

Environmental Hazards

Biologic Agents
Food poisoning

Answer 19

• improper food preparation / sanitation
• carriers
• inadequate hand washing and other
  infection control measures

Question 20

Effects of prolonged or sever stress

Answer 20

• renal failure
• cancer / infection
• PTSD
  post-traumatic stress disorder
• congestive heart failure
• asthma
• CVA (stroke)
• depression
• seizures
• nausea, diarrhea
• acne
• eczema