unit 4 - digestive system Flashcards
(40 cards)
1
Q
what does the digestive system do?
A
- helps to break down food and absorb nutrients into our blood
- a long tube from mouth to the anus with specialised regions to break down food so it can pass into blood and go to cells
2
Q
bile and pancreatic juices
A
- filled with digestive enzymes
- specialised proteins that chemically change the nutrients from food into forms that can be absorbed into blood
- this is known as chemical digestion
3
Q
why does digestion occur
A
as we need to break down food so it can be absorbed into plasma
4
Q
what are the two types of digestion
A
mechanical digestion
chemical digestion
5
Q
what happens during mechanical digestion
A
1- chew food to make it small enough to swallow
2- churn food in stomach to make chyme
chyme is in a form that provides easier access to nutrients for the digestive system
6
Q
what happens during chemical digestion
A
- protein, carbs and fats are too big to go throguh wall of gut
- digestive enzyme breaks down bonds so they can become smaller molecules
- occur in mouth, stomach and first section of small intestine
7
Q
why are there so many enzymes in chemical digestion
A
- different enzymes are needed for each food group
- different enzymes work in alkaline or acidic environments
8
Q
absorption in villi
A
- villi contain capillaries and a lacteal (lymph system)
- they increase the surface area of the illum so that as many as possible nutrients are absorbed
9
Q
how does absorption take place
A
- most nutrients enter through diffusion into capillaries and then to the liver
- but, fat is less absorbable and enters via the lacteal
- links to bloodstream via left subclavian vein along with vitamins
- delivers to the liver
10
Q
function of salivary glands
A
- moisten food to make it easier to swallow
- contains enzymes that help start the breakdown of food
11
Q
function of Bugal Cavity (mouth)
A
- ingestion : break down food
- use tongue, teeth, jaws
12
Q
function of small intestine
A
- aid digestion and breakdown of foods
- chyme passes here and mixes with bile and pancreatic juice
- food remains here for 4 hours
13
Q
function of rectum
A
- stores faeces
- remains of dried food
14
Q
function of liver
A
- make bile
15
Q
function of gallbladder
A
- store bile
16
Q
function of pancreas
A
- produce pancreatic juices
17
Q
function of anus
A
- excretes faeces at an appropriate time
18
Q
role of the liver
A
- caries out 500 functions in the body
- sorts, stores and distributes nutrients (assimilation)
- extra glucose is converted into glycogen, ready to be used as energy
- toxins like alcohol are broken down by liver
19
Q
role of pancreas
A
- produce pancreatic juices containing enzymes that are put into small intestine
- enzymes in juice break down fats, carbs and proteins (chemical digestion)
- produces hormone insulin
20
Q
pancreatic juices
A
- released from pancreas into small intestine
- neutralise the chyme because they are alkaline
- contain chemicals called enzymes which break down food into carbs, fats and proteins
21
Q
disorders of the digestive system
A
- gallstones
- irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- coeliac disease
22
Q
diagnosis of digestive system disorders
A
- food and symptom diary
- ultrasound
- endoscopy
- biopsy
23
Q
food and symptom diary
A
- keep track of food eaten and any symptoms for a given period of time
- dairy can be assessed by a doctor to identify triggers and frequency of symptoms
24
Q
ultrasound for digestive system
A
- images with sound waves which make images
- used to help diagnose pain or distention and evaluate the liver, gallbladder or pancreas
- it’s safe, non invasive, and doesn’t use ionizing radiation
25
endoscopy
- involves inserting a tube that high a light and video camera
- inserted into either end of digestive system
- images are then related onto screens so doctors can see live images
26
biopsy
- sample of tissues removed from body for examination under microscope
- look at very small structures and identify changes
27
treatments for disorders of digestive system
- lifestyle changes (reduce cholesterol, gluten free, exercise, reduce stress, alcohol)
- lithotripsy (gallstones) - high frequency sound waves to break gallstones into small particles so the body naturally passes them
28
bile
- produced in liver
- stored in gall bladder
- enter small intestine via bile duct
- it emulsifies fat and neutralises stomach acid and salts in bile to break down fats into tiny globules to form an emulsion
29
gallstones
- form in gallbladder
- happen because of high cholesterol in bile causing crystals to form and grow in size
30
symptoms of gallstones
- pain
- discomfort
- sweating
- nausea
31
causes of gallstones
- females have higher risk
- overweight
- hereditary
- fatty meals might trigger pain
32
irritable bowel syndrome
- muscles that line digestive system have normal rhythm affected
- mainly in the colon
33
symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome
- diarrhoea, constipation, abdominal pain, bloated feeling, indigestion, flatulence
34
causes of irritable bowel syndrome
- not fully understood
- alcohol
- fizzy drinks
- caffeine
- chocolate
- fried food
- processed foods
- stress
35
what is coeliac disease
- autoimmune disease meaning immune system mistakes our own tissue as being harmful and destroys them
36
symptoms of coeliac disease
- abdominal pain
- bloating feeling
- flatulence
- weight loss
- diarrhea
- can lead to anemia and osteoporosis
37
causes of coeliac disease
- family link
- infection in gut during childhood might trigger it later in life
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