Biology GCSE - Non-communicable diseases

What is a non-communicable disease?

A disease that cannot be passed from person to person (non-contagious)

What is a risk factor?

-A risk factor is something that increases the likelihood developing an injury, disease, or other health problems

-Many diseases can be caused by the interaction of a number of risk facto

What can a risk factor be?

Genetic make-up, lifestyle, environment

Effect of smoking on cardiovascular disease

• It damages walls of arteries

• Fatty deposits left on artery walls

• This narrows arteries

• This stops blood flowing properly

• The nicotine increases your heart rate

• Further damages artery lining

• Increases risk of clot formation

Effect of smoking on lungs

• Chemicals in cigarettes anaesthetise the cilia in the trachea and bronchi

• Allows pathogens and dirt to enter into the lungs and cause an infection

• Tar accumulates in the lungs turning them gray

How does this affect lung disease?

-Lung disease:

• It increases risk of bronchitis

• Build-up of tar can lead to a breakdown in the structure of alveoli

  • causing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

  • COPD reduces the surface area to volume ration of the lungs

  • Leading to sevre breathlessness and eventually death

  • COPD includes Chronic Bronchitis and Emphysema

how does this affect lung cancer

-Tar is also a carcinogen - increases the risk of developing lung cancer as well as other cancers

What is carbon monoxide poisoning?

-Carbon monoxide - found in tobacco smoke

-Binds to haemoglobin

-Takes up some of the oxygen carrying capacity in the blood

-Leads to shortage of oxygen

-Smokers are more breathless in exercise than non-smokers

(After smoking, up to 10% of the blood will be carrying carbon monoxide instead of oxygen)

Effect of smoking on unborn babies

-Foetus relies on the mother for oxygen

-If there is carbon monoxide in the mother's blood

-Foetus doesn't receive enough oxygen to develop properly

-This can lead to:

.Low birth weight

.Premature births

.Still births

Effect of exercise and diet on cardiovascular disease

Lack of exercise and unbalanced diet:

-Leads to obesity - energy consumed is more than energy out/burned

-Causes increased risk of cardiovascular diseases - more risk of fatty deposits in arteries lead to (CHD)

(Important: lack of exercise and an unbalanced diet does not directly cause cardiovascular disease)

What is type 2 diabetes?

-Body doesn't make enough insulin

OR

-Cells stop responding to insulin

(Insulin maintains the amount of glucose in the bloodstream)

Obesity as a risk factor for type 2 diabetes

-Obesity causes Lower metabolic rate - increased risk of diabeties

-Causes body to be less sensitive or resistant towards insulin

.struggles to control the concentration of glucose in the bloodstream

Effect of alcohol on the liver

Cirrhosis of the liver (liver disease):

-the liver breaks down alcohol

-but too much alcohol causes scar tissue on the organ

-cannot carry out vital functions anymore

Liver cancer:

-Alcohol is a carcinogen

-So alcohol can cause cancer in heavy drinkers

-Liver cancer spreads quickly - is hard to treat

Effect of alcohol on the brain

-Brain damage

-brain becomes soft and pulpy

-can no longer function properly

.Slower reactions

.Loss of inhibitions

.Loss of co-ordination

.Causes aggression/depression

.Coma

Effect of alcohol on unborn babies

-Alcohol can pass through placenta into developing baby - it is very small

-Developing liver cannot cope with the alcohol like an adult liver

-Affects development of the brain and body

-Can cause miscarriages, still births, premature births, low birthweights

-Babies can have deformities or learning difficulties - known as Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)

Carcinogens as risk factors of cancer

-Alcohol

-Tar (in cigarettes)

-Ionising Radiation

Ionising Radiation

-Ionising radiation penetrates cells and damages chromosomes, leading to mutations in the DNA which can cause cancerous cells in the body

-Examples:

-UV light - sun, tanning beds

-Radioactive materials - soil, water, air

-Medical and dental X-rays - x-ray machines

-Nuclear power plant accidents - Nuclear power plant and wide surrounding area

Human cost of non-communicable diseases

Globally (maybe nationally):

-death - Tens of millions of people die from non-communicable diseases per year

Individually and Locally:

-affects loved ones

-lower quality of life/shorter life span

Financial cost of non-communicable diseases

Globally and Nationally:

-huge cost to research + treat diseases

Nationally:

-reduction in number of workers affects economy

Locally (maybe individually):

-families have to move or adapt home

-income reduced if job is given up

Effect of lifestyle factors on the incidence of non-communicable diseases (Globally)

-Developed countries - non communicable diseases are more common because people generally have a higher-income and can buy high-fat food

-Non-developed countries - non-communicable diseases are common because people generally have a lower-income so they cannot afford to have a balanced diet leading to malnutrition

Effect of lifestyle factors on the incidence of non-communicable diseases (Nationally)

-Deprived areas - more likely to smoke, have a poor diet and not exercise.

-Because not being educated about smoking, not able to afford a balanced diet and don't have time to exercise as they are too busy working

-Cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, obesity higher in those areas

-Wealthy areas - less likely to smoke, have a poor diet and not exercise

-Because being educated about smoking, being able to afford a balanced diet and able to afford gym

HOWEVER

-More likely to have a high-fat diet as they are able to afford

-Leads to Cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, obesity high in those areas

-Not as high as deprived

Effect of lifestyle factors on the incidence of non-communicable diseases (Locally)

-Individual choices affect local incidence of disease

-Bad choices - poor diet, lack of exercise etc.

-Good choices - balanced diet, not smoking etc.

What is cancer?

cancer is the result of changes in cells that lead to uncontrolled growth and division

Benign tumours

growths of abnormal cells that are contained in one area, usually within a membrane, and do not invade other parts of the body

Malignant tumours

These are cancers, they invade neighbouring tissues and spread to different parts of the body in the blood where they form secondary tumours.