Disorders

Diabetes

A chronic disease in which body cells are unable to use glucose to provide energy for muscles and tissues

→ when there is not enough insulin in the bloodstream or when the body cannot properly use the insulin that the pancreas makes

Insulin: after a meal, glucose is absorbed into the blood stream

→ the pancreas releases insulin into the bloodstream

→ insulin allows glucose to enter body cells

→ body cells break down glucose for energy

→ lowering of blood glucose

→ pancreas releases insulin

To maintain insulin, stored glycogen in the liver is converted back into glucose and released into the bloodstream
When insulin is non-functional/when the body cannot produce it:

→ glucose cannot get into the cells

→ glucose level in the blood can increase to life-threatening levels

Type 1 Diabetes

When insulin-producing cells of the pancreas are destroyed by the immune system

→ no longer produces insulin

Most often diagnosed in children, teens and young adults

Type 2 Diabetes

When the body does not make enough insulin or is unable to properly use the insulin it makes
Most often diagnosed: people over the age of 40

→ becoming increasingly common in children and adolescents

Gestational Diabetes

Can develop during pregnancy

→ often the result of pregnancy hormones or inadequate levels of insulin

→ most often ends when the baby is born

Women who have had gestational diabetes: more likely to develop type 2 diabetes later in life

Gallstones

Small, hard masses that form in the gallbladder

→ cholesterol in the bile (breaks down lipids) precipitate sout of bile forming solid crystals

→ crystals grow and become gallstones

Causes: obesity, alcohol intake and heredity
Treatment:

Medication
Ultrasound shock waves to disintegrate the stones so that they can be passed out in urine
Removal of the entire gallbladder (severe cases)

→ bile no longer stored but bile from liver flows directly into small intestine

Prevention: lowering cholesterol in the gallbladder by:

→ losing weight

→ increasing the intake of omega-3 fatty acids

→ decreasing the size of meals

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

General name used to group diseases the cause inflammation in the intestines

→ 1 in 160 canadians with IBD, 200 000 incidences

A chronic disease (long-lasting or recurrent)
Cannot be cured but can be treated by:

→ a special diet

→ or taking medication to reduce pain/inflammation

Chron’s disease: affects any part of the alimentary canal

→ children with Chron’s disease: do not grow properly during puberty

→ they develop thinner bones which may increase the possibility of fractures

Ulcerative colitis: an IBD that affects the colon

→ symptoms: loose and bloody stools, cramps and abdominal pain

Severe cases of IBD: when patient is not responding to medical therapy, surgeons may have to remove the affected part of the colon and create a new external opening for digestive wastes

→ total proctocolectomy: the removal of the entire colon including the the rectum

→ ileostomy:with the removal of rectum, surgeons create an opening (stoma) in the abdominal wall

→ part of the ileum is brought up to be used for the removal of wastes

Asthma

Site of infection	Bronchi and bronchioles
Cause	Irritants → pollen, dust, smoke
Symptoms	Wheezing Coughing Tightness of chest Shortness of breath (muscles contract → mucous production)
Treatment	Inhaler
Effect of gas exchange	Reduced airflow due to narrowing of bronchi and bronchioles
Technologies used for diagnosis	Peak flow meter Listening to lungs with stethoscope Chest x-ray Allergy tests

Emphysema

Site of infection	Alveoli
Cause	Smoking → alveoli burst and fuse into large air spaces
Symptoms	Short, shallow breath
Treatment	Incurable → inhaler, O₂ tank, stop smoking, aoid airborne irritants
Effect of gas exchange	Alveoli lose elasticity → decreased SA → O₂ shortage in tissues → exhalation difficult as airways collapse (COPD)
Technologies used for diagnosis	Chest x-ray Blood gas analysis (O₂, CO₂) Spirometry

Laryngitis

Site of infection	Larynx
Cause	Infection Allergy Overstraining voice (yelling)
Symptoms	Inflamed larynx “Lost” voice Hoarse whisper
Treatment	Rest
Effect of gas exchange	None
Technologies used for diagnosis	Laryngoscopy (light and tiny mirror to look into back of throat)

Tonsilitis

Site of infection	Tonsils (pharynx)
Cause	Bacterial/viral infection
Symptoms	Red, swollen tonsils at the back of the throat (pharynx) Sore throat Fever Swollen glands in neck
Treatment	Surgically remove or wait
Effect of gas exchange	None
Technologies used for diagnosis	Physical exam

Arteriosclerosis

A general term to describe many conditions when the walls of the arteries thicken and lose elastic properties

→ most common: atherosclerosis - the build up on plaque inside artery walls

Treatment: Angioplasty

→ a procedure when a surgeon inserts a tube into a clogged artery

→ when the tube reaches the clogged artery, a tiny ballon is inflated to force open the artery

→ a stent is inserted into the blocked area, which holds the vessel open and reduces the chance of another blockage developing

Treatment: Coronary bypass

→ surgeons reroute blood flow rather than unblocking the blood vessels

→ they take a section of healthy artery/vein from another part of the body (i.e leg) and create a new pathway for blood around the blockage

Heart Valve Disease

Valves play an important role in the heart by controlling flow into the ventricles and out to the body

→ regurgitation: when a valve does not close completely, the blood flows backward

→ stenosis: when the valve open is narrowed through scarring or thickening, it inhibits blood flow out of the ventricles or atria

Stroke

When arteries supplying the blood to the brain are damaged

→ cuts off the flow of oxygen and nutrients to the brain tissue

Ischemic stroke: when a clot in a blood vessel blocks the flow of blood to the brain
Hemorrhagic stroke: when a blood vessel in the brain bursts and blood flows into surrounding tissue

Insulin Pump (Digestive)
- A small, wearable device that delivers a continuous and customized flow of rapid-acting insulin
- Provides better control over blood glucose levels
- Reduces risk of long-term complications that can affect the eyes, kidneys and blood vessels
CAT (Computed/Computerized Axial Tomography) (Respiratory)
Type of image produced: specialized x-ray, cross-section of body’s interior (soft tissue, bone, blood vessels), 360 images
How it works: person lies on special bed while rotating x-ray device takes 1000 photos per rotation (vertical “slices”

Spiral CT Scan - developed in the mid-1980s
- Type of image produced: clear, detailed views of blood vessels and internal tissues, detailed 3D images
- How it works: scanner rotates continuously around body in spiral path
- Advantages: quicker than conventional CT scans
→ reduces exposure to x rays
→ detection of small 2-3 mm tumours

Cardiac Catheterization (Circulatory)
- Used with angiography
- A thin, flexible tube (catheter) is inserted through an artery in groin or arm
→ gently guided through the body until it reaches the heart
- Dye injected through catheter makes X-rays taken of heart and blood vessels easier to view
Angioplasty (Circulatory)
→ a procedure when a surgeon inserts a tube into a clogged artery
→ when the tube reaches the clogged artery, a tiny ballon is inflated to force open the artery
→ a stent is inserted into the blocked area, which holds the vessel open and reduces the chance of another blockage developing

Coronary Bypass (Circulatory)
→ surgeons reroute blood flow rather than unblocking the blood vessels
→ they take a section of healthy artery/vein from another part of the body (i.e leg) and create a new pathway for blood around the blockage