Non-communicable Diseases

• Coronary heart disease is layers of fatty material that build up inside the coronary arteries, narrowing them - resulting in a lack of oxygen for the heart.
• A stent is a device inserted into a blocked artery to keep it open, allowing more blood and oxygen to the heart.
• Statins are drugs that reduce blood cholesterol levels, slowing the rate of fatty material deposit.
• A faulty heart valve is a heart valve that doesn't open properly or leaks.
• A faulty heart valve can be treated by replacing it with a biological or mechanical valve.
• Artificial hearts are used for keeping patients alive whilst waiting for a transplant or allowing the heart to rest for recovery.
• Heart transplants take place in cases of heart failure.
• Health is the state of physical and mental well-being.
• Factors that can affect health:

  Disease

  Diet

  Stress

  Exercise

  Life situations
• A risk factor is an aspect of lifestyle or substance in the body that can increase the risk of a disease developing.
• Five risk factors include:

  Poor diet

  Smoking

  Lack of exercise

  Alcohol

  Carcinogens
• Cancer is a result of changes in cells that lead to uncontrolled growth and cell division by mitosis.
• Malignant tumours are cancerous tumours that can spread to neighbouring tissues and other parts of the body in the blood, forming secondary tumours.
• Benign tumours are non-cancerous tumours that do not spread in the body.
• Lifestyle and genetics are two risk factors that affect the development of cancers.
• A carcinogen is a substance that can cause cancers to develop.