Understanding Health, Disease, and Medical Practices
Defining Health and Disease
According to the World Health Organization, health is defined as:
- A state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
Disease can be defined as an altered state of being, i.e., temporary or permanent loss of:
- Homeostasis
Quality of life depends on:
- Physical health
- Mental health
- Level of autonomy
- Social relationships and their environment
- Life expectancy
Genetics and Environmental Factors
The genotype is:
- The genetic information that a person carries.
Genetic diseases are due to:
- Changes in the genome.
The genotype determines:
- The predisposition to disease.
Environmental assaults are classified as:
- Physical environmental assaults
- Chemical environmental insults
- Biological environmental aggressions
Physical environmental assaults are classified as:
- Ionizing radiation
- Noise
- Temperature variations
Chemical environmental insults are classified as:
- Air pollution
- Water pollution
- Contamination of food
With what substances does the air get contaminated?
- Carbon Monoxide
Infectious Diseases
Infectious diseases are those caused by:
- Microorganisms
Which of these four is a pathogen?
- Bacteria
Definition of bacteria:
- It is a single-celled organism without a nucleus, which multiplies inside the body, destroying cells and surrounding tissues.
Virus definition:
- It cannot reproduce itself; to achieve this, it must be introduced into a cell, within which it reproduces to form a large number of viruses.
Definition of protozoa:
- Unicellular organism with a defined nucleus.
Definition of fungi:
- Multicellular or unicellular organism with a defined nucleus.
What does “Cell Lysis” mean?
- It means breaking the cell membrane.
Do viruses always destroy cells?
- No, the virus can remain inside the cell for many years until, for some reason, it becomes activated and triggers the disease.
To display an infectious disease, the pathogen must penetrate our body through different ways:
- Direct contact
- Animals
- Food
- Water
Animals that can transmit diseases are called:
- Vectors
Stages of an infectious disease:
- Infection
- Incubation period
- Acute period
- Convalescence period of decline
What does “infection” mean?
- The organism enters the body, penetrates inside, and starts to reproduce.
What is the acute period?
- The disease is fully manifested with symptoms such as fever, headache, chills, etc.
The Immune System
What can recognize microorganisms or anything foreign to our body?
- Lymphocytes
What can trigger an immune response?
- Antigens
What is an insurmountable barrier to most microorganisms?
- Skin
What protects us from infections?
- Nonspecific defense mechanisms
What increases blood flow?
- Histamine
Preventing Infections
What is good to wash well if you take it raw?
- Vegetables, fruits, and greens
When should you wash your hands?
- After using the toilet
- Before eating
- Before handling food
To disinfect a wound, what should you do?
- Wash your hands and apply an antiseptic.
Antibodies and Lymphocytes
What is another name for antibodies?
- Immunoglobulins
Who produces antigens?
- B lymphocytes
What is the role of T lymphocytes?
- Both of the above are true:
- They destroy infected cells.
- They regulate the immune response.
Which of the following are disorders of the immune system?
- Allergies
Who kills the virus?
- Our own body
Treating Infections
Specific antibodies were obtained from the blood of humans or animals; this definition belongs to:
- Sera
Bacterial infections are treated with ________, substances that are toxic to bacteria and safe for people to use.
- Antibiotics
Alexander Fleming discovered what?
- Penicillin
How did Fleming discover penicillin?
- In a cluttered lab, and by chance.
Vaccines
Tetanus vaccine is in childhood vaccination, and immunity lasts ten years. If you get an injury, call if:
- Both ‘a’ and ‘b’ are correct:
- More than ten years have passed since the last dose.
- You have not been vaccinated.
Why is smallpox characterized?
- Pustules throughout the body that contain the virus.
Cardiovascular Diseases
What is cardiovascular disease?
- Diseases of the heart and blood vessels. They are a major cause of death in developed countries. The most common are myocardial infarction and stroke.
Myocardial infarction occurs because a portion of heart muscle loses _______ supply.
- Blood
Stroke occurs when blood flow is interrupted to part of the brain, usually because a blood clot blocks an artery in the ________.
- Brain
It is advisable to prevent cardiovascular disease:
- ‘a’ and ‘c’ are true:
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Exercise regularly.
Cardiovascular diseases occur when several risk factors converge. Some of them can be modified, but others cannot. Indicate which are modifiable and non-modifiable:
- Modifiable risk factors: smoking, obesity, poor diet, etc.
- Non-modifiable risk factors: advanced age, male gender, etc.
Respiratory Diseases
The respiratory system is involved in gas exchange, which is to take in oxygen and expel _________.
- Carbon dioxide
Obstructive pulmonary disease is due to:
- The narrowing or obstruction of the airways, which decreases the volume of exhaled air.
Restrictive lung disease is due to:
- The loss of elasticity of the lungs, which reduces the total volume of air they contain.
The most severe lung disease is lung cancer. 90% of cases are caused by this factor:
- Tobacco
Eating Disorders and Mental Health
What is bulimia?
- A person of normal weight or slightly overweight eats excessively but then has feelings of guilt and tries to remove everything they have eaten by vomiting, laxatives, excessive exercise, etc.
What is anorexia nervosa?
- A person who is too thin but thinks they are too fat or will get fat if they eat normally.
Symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease:
- Progressive loss of mental abilities, mainly memory.
The treatment of mental illness:
- ‘b’ and ‘c’ are correct:
- Medication
- Psychotherapy
One factor that does not help in the recovery of the mentally ill:
- ‘a’ and ‘b’ are correct:
- Social isolation
- Lack of support
Drugs and Substance Abuse
A drug is any substance introduced into the body that is capable of producing changes in the brain that result in:
- Behavioral changes
According to the effects of drug classification, what is the one that produces a decreased appetite?
- Nervous system stimulant
What is the main immediate effect of the drugs most consumed?
- According to tobacco: a feeling of relaxation, increased memory, and concentration.
What is the drug of choice by most people?
- Tobacco and alcohol
What is meant by abuse disorder and dependence?
- When drug use interferes with normal life and the person spends most of their time obtaining and using the drug.
Diagnosis and Medical Procedures
How do you define the diagnosis?
- A procedure that identifies the patient’s illness.
Phases of diagnosis:
- Interview
- Physical examination
- Complementary tests
What is medical history?
- Documentation made over time of the relationship between doctor and patient.
What is the most widely used complementary examination?
- Blood tests
X-ray abuse can cause:
- Cancer
Nuclear medicine is based on:
- Introduction of radioactive materials to study how they are distributed throughout the body.
The biopsy involves:
- Taking a small piece of tissue for examination.
Medications and Surgery
Drugs are used to:
- ‘a’, ‘b’, and ‘c’ are correct:
- Treat diseases
- Relieve symptoms
- Prevent diseases
Why should a drug not be administered via the vagina?
- This statement is incorrect. Drugs can be administered vaginally.
What kind of surgery would be used to remove the appendix?
- Major surgery
What kind of anesthesia will eliminate pain in certain body parts?
- Local and regional anesthesia
Are there risks from the use of anesthesia in surgery?
- Yes, and risks may occur due to the state of the patient.
When could you do the surgery for acute appendicitis?
- Emergency surgery
How is endoscopic surgery performed?
- Through small holes through which surgical instruments are placed that are controlled from outside.
Angioplasty is the introduction of:
- A catheter with a balloon on the tip that leads to the narrowed artery to open the blood vessel.
What are they trying to achieve with the new surgical procedures?
- Reduce the aggressiveness of the surgery, so they involve less risk and the patient recovers quickly.
What do you get with organ transplants?
- Options ‘a’ and ‘c’ are correct:
- Save lives
- Improve quality of life
Global Health
What is one of the international organizations that recognize the right to health of people?
- UN (United Nations)
What is the life expectancy in Spain?
- Around 83 years (not 75 as stated in the original text)
What is the percentage of AIDS deaths occurring in developing countries?
- 95%
What affects most underdeveloped countries?
- Malnutrition
What kind of disease most affects developing countries?
- Tropical Diseases
Because of poverty, what is the percentage of health workers in Africa?
- 3%
Additional Information
Louis Pasteur discovered vaccines for:
- Rabies and Anthrax
Why are there no vaccines for all diseases?
- Due to the complex nature of some diseases and the difficulty in developing effective vaccines.
What is a malignant tumor?
- A tumor that can spread throughout the body and create new tumors.
What are the characteristics of a malignant tumor?
- Uncontrolled growth and metastasis.
Why is it important to detect cancer in its early stages?
- Because it is easier to cure and is less likely to have metastasized.
How to prevent cancer:
- Avoiding the abuse of alcohol, tobacco, etc.