Non communicable diseases

• Non-communicable disease


  Disease that is not infectious and affects people as a result of their genetic makeup, their lifestyle, and factors in their environment
• Only three of the top 10 killer diseases in the world in 2012 were communicable
• The other seven were non-communicable diseases
• Risk factors for disease

  • Genes you inherit from your parents
  • Your age
  • Aspects of your lifestyle such as smoking, lack of exercise, or overeating
  • Substances present in the environment or in your body such as ionising radiation, UV light from the sun, or second-hand tobacco smoke
• Certain lifestyle factors or environmental substances have been shown to increase your risk of developing particular non-communicable diseases
• Examples of risk factors for a number of non-communicable diseases

  • Diet
  • Obesity
  • Fitness levels
  • Smoking
  • Drinking alcohol
  • Exposure to carcinogens in the environment such as ionising radiation
• Correlation


  A link or relationship between two things
• Causal mechanism


  An explanation of how one factor influences another through a biological process
• Non-communicable diseases affect far more people than communicable diseases, so they have the greatest effect at both human and economic levels
• Tumour


  A mass of abnormally growing cells
• Benign tumour


  A growth of abnormal cells contained in one place, usually within a membrane, that does not invade other parts of the body
• Malignant tumour


  A tumour that can spread around the body, invading neighbouring healthy tissue
• Cancer cells not only divide more rapidly than normal cells, they also live longer
• Causes of cancer


  • Genetic risk factors
  • Mutations caused by chemicals such as asbestos and tar in tobacco smoke
  • Ionising radiation such as UV light and X-rays
  • Virus infections such as HPV
• Radiotherapy


  Treatment where cancer cells are destroyed by targeted doses of radiation
• Chemotherapy


  Treatment where chemicals are used to either stop the cancer cells dividing or to make them self-destruct
• Smoking contains around 4000 different chemicals, at least 150 of which are linked to disease
• Nicotine


  The addictive but relatively harmless drug found in tobacco smoke
• Carbon monoxide


  A poisonous gas found in tobacco smoke that takes up some of the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood
• Smoking during pregnancy


  Can lead to premature births, low birthweight babies and even stillbirths
• Scientists estimate that around 20% of stillbirths in the UK each year result from the mother smoking during her pregnancy
• Tar


  A sticky, black chemical in tobacco smoke that accumulates in the lungs, turning them from pink to grey
• Bronchitis


  Inflammation and infection of the bronchi
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

  A condition where the build-up of tar in the lungs leads to a breakdown in the structure of the alveoli, reducing the surface area to volume ratio and causing severe breathlessness
• Tar is also a carcinogen that acts on the delicate cells of the lungs and greatly increases the risk of lung cancer developing
• Smoking


  Narrows the blood vessels in the skin, ageing it prematurely
• Smokers are more likely to suffer from cardiovascular problems than non-smokers
• Tar


  Component of tobacco smoke that stains the lungs from pink to grey
• Tar and other chemicals in smoke

  Make smokers much more likely to develop bronchitis
• Build-up of tar in lung tissue

  Can lead to a breakdown in the structure of the alveoli, causing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Tar


  Is a carcinogen that acts on the delicate cells of the lungs and greatly increases the risk of lung cancer developing
• Tar also causes other cancers of the breathing system, for example, the throat, larynx, and trachea
• Smoking and the heart

  The chemicals in tobacco smoke affect the heart and blood vessels
• Mechanisms by which smoking affects the cardiovascular system

  1. Smoking narrows the blood vessels in your skin, ageing it

  2. Nicotine makes the heart rate increase

  3. Other chemicals damage the lining of the arteries

  4. Increases the risk of clot formation

  5. Increases blood pressure
• Components of tobacco smoke

  • 3 components
• Smoking during pregnancy


  Is harmful
• Smoking can cause cardiovascular disease including coronary heart disease, lung cancer, and lung diseases such as bronchitis and COPD
• A fetus exposed to smoke has restricted oxygen, which can lead to premature birth, low birthweight and even stillbirth
• If you eat more food than you need, the excess is stored as fat
• Carrying too much weight is often inconvenient and uncomfortable