Non-Communicable and Communicable Diseases

Flashcards about non-communicable and communicable diseases.

Non-communicable diseases

Diseases that cannot be spread from person to person, including heart disease, stroke, cancer, high blood pressure, and lung disease.

Homeostasis

The body’s internal state of balance.

Chronic (in the context of non-communicable diseases)

Long-term diseases that may not heal for years.

Prognosis

The probable outcome of a disease.

Remission

A period of time without signs or symptoms of a disease.

Relapse

When the signs and symptoms of a previously remitted disease return.

Complication

A new problem or disease that arises when a person already has a disease.

Arteries

Large muscular blood vessels that take blood away from the heart.

Capillaries

Blood vessels that connect arteries and veins.

Veins

Blood vessels that take blood back to the heart.

Arteriosclerosis

A condition where arteries thicken, harden, and become inflexible.

Atherosclerosis

A condition characterized by fatty deposits in the walls of the arteries.

Hypertension (Blood Pressure)

The force that blood exerts against the walls of arteries as it is pumped out of the heart.

Stroke

Occurs when blood flow to part of the brain is interrupted, injuring or killing brain cells.

Ischemic Stroke

Stroke caused by blood vessels in the brain disrupting the flow of oxygen.

Hemorrhagic Stroke

Stroke caused by a brain blood vessel bursting and failing to deliver oxygen to brain cells.

Coronary Artery Disease

Occurs when the coronary arteries become narrow and blocked.

Congestive Heart Failure

A condition where the heart is too weak to pump blood effectively.

Tachycardia

An abnormally fast heart rate of over 100 beats per minute.

Bradycardia

An abnormally slow heart rate of under 50 beats per minute.

Fibrillation

Uncoordinated beating of the heart muscle; the heart muscle quivers instead of contracting.

Cancer

An uncontrollable growth of abnormal cells.

Tumor

A mass of abnormal cells.

Benign Tumors

Tumors that are not cancerous and remain in the part of the body where they developed.

Malignant Tumors

Tumors that are cancerous and invade the normal tissues around the area where they first developed.

Metastasis

The ability of malignant tumors to spread to other parts of the body.

Carcinogens

Mutations in genes leading to cancer, often caused by environmental influences.

Type 1 Diabetes

Develops because the immune system destroys insulin-producing cells in the pancreas.

Type 2 Diabetes

Occurs later in life and is correlated with obesity, characterized by insulin resistance.

Allergy

An abnormal destructive immune response triggered by substances in the environment called allergens.

Histamine

A substance that causes blood vessels to leak during an allergic reaction.

Local Allergies

Allergies that affect a specific part of the body.

Systemic Allergies

Allergies that affect the whole body.

Arthritis

Inflammation of the joints.

Infectious or Communicable Diseases

Diseases that can be transferred from one person to another, caused by pathogens.

Pathogens

Microorganisms that cause diseases.

Germ Theory

The scientific concept that certain microorganisms cause certain diseases.

Incubation Period

The time when pathogens first enter the body.

Clinical Stage

The stage when signs and symptoms of a disease arrive.

Convalescent Stage

The stage when signs and symptoms of a disease fade.

Bacteria

Single-celled organisms that live in almost every place.

Viruses

Do not grow or reproduce but can cause infections.

Fungi

Built from larger cells.

Parasites

Must live in another living thing.

Protozoa

Single-celled parasites that have a nucleus.

Worms

Multicellular parasites with specialized tissues and organs.

Transmission

The way a disease gets from one organism to another.

Direct Transmission

Exchange of infectious material from its origin to a susceptible individual.

Direct Contact

When microorganisms are passed physically from one person to another.

Droplet Spread

When someone coughs, sneezes, or speaks near another person, causing them to get sick.

Zoonosis

Infections transmitted from animal to human.

Epidemic

Occurs when a disease appears in unexpectedly large numbers over a particular area.

Pandemic

Affects an enormous number of people and spreads from one country to another.

Endemic

One that naturally occurs in low levels in a certain area.

Vaccines

Contain either a dead pathogen or a nontoxic component of a pathogen that is injected to provoke an immune response.

Antibiotics

Naturally made by fungi and helpful bacteria that kill pathogenic bacteria.

Inflammation

Redness, heat, swelling, and pain in response to microorganisms.

Phagocytes

White blood cells that destroy microorganisms.

T Cells

Reside in blood, lymph nodes, and spleen that stimulate the immune response.

B Cells

Reside in blood and create antibodies.

Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) / Diseases (STDs)

Infections spread by sexual activity.

Chlamydia

A bacterial STI that is often asymptomatic and can cause pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility in females.

Gonorrhea

A bacterial STI that primarily affects the throat and rectum as well as the reproductive system, and is tested via urine swabbing.

Syphilis

A bacterial STI that is fatal if untreated and has four stages.

Trichomoniasis

A common STI caused by a protozoan that is mostly curable and often asymptomatic.

Herpes Simplex Virus

Causes sores; Type 1 causes sores on the mouth, and Type 2 causes genital infections.

Human Papillomavirus (HPV)

Most common STI in the U.S. that infects the skin and membranes and may cause genital infections or cancer.

Condom

A birth control/STI device that acts as a barrier against pathogens.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)

A virus in the blood that weakens the immune system and, if left untreated, can evolve into AIDS.

AIDS

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome; can lead to opportunistic diseases that can be fatal and evolves from HIV if left untreated.

Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP)

A course of ART that can protect a person from contracting HIV.

Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP)

A course of ART a person can take within 72 hours of HIV transmission.