non communicable disease

• Factors that can affect the risk of developing a non-communicable disease

  • Lifestyle factors e.g. diet, exercise, alcohol, smoking
  • Environmental factors e.g. exposure to pollution
  • Genetics e.g. alleles that increase the risk of cancer
• How diet affects the risk of some non-communicable diseases

  1. Diet high in saturated fat raises blood cholesterol levels, increasing the deposition of fatty deposits in the arteries ∴ greater risk of CVD

  2. Obesity and the consumption of large amounts of simple-sugars increases the risk of type 2 diabetes

  3. Malnourishment increases the risk of deficiency diseases
• What a waist-to-hip ratio higher than 1.0 in males or 0.85 in females indicates

  • Abdominal obesity
  • Increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes
• How alcohol affects the risk of some non-communicable diseases

  1. Alcohol broken down into toxic products in the liver which build-up and scar liver tissue

  2. Alcohol raises blood pressure thus increasing the risk of CVD

  3. Toxic products in alcohol can cause mutations to DNA, increasing the risk of cancer (mouth, throat, liver etc.)
• How smoking affects the risk of some non-communicable diseases

  1. Nicotine raises heart rate, increasing the risk of CVD

  2. Carbon monoxide lowers the ability of red blood cells to carry oxygen, heart rate increases, increasing the risk of CVD

  3. Carcinogens in tar can cause mutations to DNA, increasing the risk of cancer (mouth, throat, lung etc.)

  4. Smoking increases the risk of lung diseases e.g. chronic bronchitis
• How environmental factors affect the risk of some non-communicable diseases

  1. Long-term exposure to pollution damages the airways, increasing the risk of lung diseases and lung cancer

  2. Exposure to UV radiation damages DNA, increasing the risk of DNA mutations and skin cancer
• How diseases interact with each other

  1. Some diseases may cause other infections to develop e.g. HIV weakens the immune system, making an individual more susceptible to other infections such as TB

  2. Some diseases reduce the risk of contracting other infections e.g. Trichinosis reduces the development of Crohn's disease
• Effects of non-communicable disease

  • Increased incidence puts a strain on local hospitals with limited resources
  • Increased pressure on NHS to provide treatment to a larger number of patients, sickness-related absence impacts a country's economy
  • High prevalence of malnutrition in LEDCs slows the development of such countries which in turn impacts global development
• Cardiovascular disease (CVD)

  • Group of diseases affecting the heart or blood vessels
  • Build up of fatty deposits on the walls of the arteries which reduce blood flow to muscle tissue
  • Blood clots may form, blocking the arteries and stopping blood flow completely. This can lead to a heart attack or stroke
• Changes to diet and lifestyle to reduce CVD risk

  • Regular exercise
  • Reduce intake of saturated fat
  • Maintenance of a healthy weight
  • Diet low in salt
  • Reduce stress
  • Stop smoking and drinking alcohol
• Benefits and risks of anticoagulants


  • Anticoagulants reduce blood clotting, lowering the risk of a heart attack or stroke
  • However, they can cause excessive bleeding
• Benefits and risks of antihypertensives


  • Antihypertensives lower blood pressure, reducing damage to artery walls and the build up of atheromas
  • However, they can have unpleasant side-effects such as headaches, dizziness or fainting
• Coronary bypass


  Using a blood vessel from another region of the body (e.g. leg, arm) to divert blood around a blockage in the coronary artery
• Heart transplant


  • Replacing a damaged heart with a donated heart
  • Immunosuppressant drugs taken to prevent organ rejection
• Benefits of heart surgery


  • Lifesaving
  • Can provide a permanent solution to a disease
• Risks of heart surgery


  • Involves many risks e.g. infection, excessive bleeding etc.
  • Difficult to find a suitable donor
  • Risk of rejection
  • Immunosuppressant drugs must be taken for life
  • Long recovery time
  • Expensive