Chronic DiseasesChapter 23

Chronic Diseases •Diseases that persist for a long period or recur

throughout life

•Chronic diseases are caused by behavioral, environmental, or hereditary

•The leading cause of death in the United States

Cardiovascular Diseases •Are the most common chronic diseases•Diseases of the heart and blood vessels

Hypertension

•Also known as high blood pressure and is a silent killer.

•Normal blood pressure is 120/80. A person who’s blood pressure constantly measures 140/90 or higher has hyper tension.

•Can lead to heart disease or death•Exercise, healthy weight, reducing stress, eating

foods low in sodium will reduce your risk

Atherosclerosis•Also known at

hardening of the arteries.

•A disease where fatty substances called plaque build up in your arteries

•This makes blood flow difficult, so your blood pressure rises

Heart Attack•Occurs when the tissue in the heart doesn’t receive

its normal blood supply•Usually caused by a blood clot that blocks the flow

of blood to the heart•Each year, over a million people in the United States

suffer from heart attacks and ½ will die from it

Arrhythmia

•Also known as irregular heartbeats •Usually caused by years of arthrosclerosis. •Heart can beat either too slow too fast.•Fibrillation is a life-threatenign arrhythmia in which

the heart twitches rapidly in an uncoordinated fashion.

Congestive Heart Failure•The heart slowly weakens over time•Usually caused by years of arthrosclerosis and high

blood pressure. •The Heart is unable to pump the blood like it once

did

Stroke

• Sudden disruption of blood flow to the brain• Usually caused by a blood clot blocking an artery to the

brain• Strokes can occur when a weakened artery in the brain

bursts flooding the area with blood. Without a supply of blood brain cells soon die from lack of oxygen.

• Risk factors for stroke include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking excessive use of alcohol, physical inactivity and obesity.

Testing and Treatment of Cardiovascular Diseases•Cardiovascular disease CANNOT be cured, but can be

controlled. Below are some of the medical technologies used to test for cardiovascular disease and the treatment methods used to treat and improve person’s health.

Complete the fill in the blanks on page 2 ofthe packet using books page 606

Preventing Cardiovascular Disease• Risks you can not control

▫ Heredity Family history

▫ Ethnicity

▫ Gender Men vs women

▫ Age Older people have a higher

risk

• Risks you can control▫ Maintain healthy weight

▫ Eat a healthy diet

▫ Exercise

▫ Manage stress

▫ Monitor blood pressure

▫ Do not Smoke or drink

Using the graph answer the questions on page 3 in your packet.

Incidence of Breast Cancer cases vs Prostate Cancer

CANCER

How CANCER effects the body• Cancer is a group of diseases that involves the rapid,

uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells.• Cancer harms the body by destroying healthy body

tissues. • Cancer cells typically for a mass called a tumor• Malignant means that the tumor IS cancerous• Benign means that the tumor is NOT cancerous• Cancer cells can travel in the blood stream and spread

to other parts of the body and this is called metastasis. • Many cancers can be treated if caught early

Causes of Cancer•Heredity

▫Can inherit genes that are cancer causing•Environment

▫Cancer causing agents called Carcinogens are in the air

What carcinogens are you exposed too? How can you protect yourself from them?

-Lifestyle factors (nutrition, tobacco use, physical activity, tanning and over exposure to sun etc.)

-Naturally occurring exposures (ultraviolet light, radon gas, infectious agents, etc.)

-Medical treatments (chemotherapy, radiation, immune system-suppressing drugs, etc.)

-Workplace exposures

-Household exposures

-Pollution

Types of Cancer• Skin• Prostate• Breast• Lung• Colorectal• Cervical• Oral• Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma• Ovarian• Leukemia

In the table in the packet on page 4 list the symptoms of

each type of cancer using page 611 in the book

Warning signs•Change in bowl or bladder•A sore throat that does not heal•Unusual bleeding or discharge•Thickening or lump •Indigestion or difficulty swallowing•Obvious change in wart or mole•Nagging cough or hoarseness

TREATMENT

▫Surgery – Can remove part or all of the tumor either malignant or benign

▫Radiation Therapy – Can kill cancer cells in slow tumor growth by using an external source that supplies radiation either directly or indirectly to the tumor.

▫Chemotherapy – uses drugs to slow the reproduction of

cancer cells. Immunotherapy uses drugs to stimulate the body’s immune system to attack cancer cells.

Other Chronic Diseases

Diabetes•Diabetes is a disease in which the body’s ability to

produce glucose (sugar) is impaired•Can be life threatening if NOT controlled•There are 2 types

•Type 1▫Person produces NO insulin▫Without insulin glucose levels in the blood remain high▫Usually in children

•Type 2▫Usually occurs in people over 30 and people who are

overweight▫Person produces insulin but their body does not

respond to it▫High level of glucose in the blood

•Open discussion ▫Type 2 diabetes is on the rise. Why do you think this is

happening?▫What can you do to prevent it from happening to you?

Allergies & Asthma• Allergies

▫ Immune system is sensitive to certain substances Plant pollen, dust, mold, some foods, & medicine

• Asthma▫ Persons respiratory passage becomes swollen and narrow▫ Can be a reaction to certain triggers.▫ Managing asthma involves avoiding triggers or the use of

medicines

Arthritis Alzheimer's • Inflammation and irritation of a

joint• Stiffness, joint pain, swelling occurs

in the joint• Osteoarthritis is caused by repeated

wear and tear on the joints• Rheumatoid arthritis is when the

surrounding joint becomes inflamed. The cause is unknown but may ne linked to the immune system

•A disease of the brain•Brings mental confusion,

inability to function•Can lead to death