Notes - Diabetes Mellitus and Cardiovascular Diseases
Category : NEET
Diabetes Mellitus and Cardiovascular Diseases
The main non-communicable diseases are diabetes, inflammatory diseases of joints such as arthritis, gout, cardiovascular diseases and cancer.
(i) Diabetes Mellitus
(a) Diabetes is characterised by chronic hyperglycemia which is excessive concentration of glucose in the blood.
(b) Diabetes is primarily a result of relative or complete lack of insulin secretion by the b cells of islets of Langerhans in pancreas.
(c) Diabetes is established by blood and urine sugar levels.
(ii) Arthritis
(a) Arthritis is any inflammatory condition of the joints characterised by pain and swelling.
(b) Two kinds of arthritis are : rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.
(c) There is no cure for arthritis; drugs are available which relieve pain.
(d) Rheumatoid arthritis is characterised by inflammation of the synovial membrane.
(e) A kind of rheumatoid arthritis that occurs in younger people is Still?s disease.
(f) Osteoarthritis is a disease common among the elderly persons resulting from erosion of articular cartilage.
(g) Paraplegia refer to weakness or paralysis of both legs, often accompanied by loss of sensation.
(h) Paraplegia is usually caused by a motor vehicle accident, sports accident, fall or gunshot wounds.
(iii) Gout
(a) Gout results from accumulation of uric acid crystals in the synovial joints.
(b) Gout is a disease associated with an inborn error of uric acid metabolism that increases production or interferes with the excretion of uric acid.
(iv) Cardiovascular Diseases
(a) Cardiovascular diseases refer to a number of diseases associated with the blood vascular system.
(b) Some major cardiovascular diseases are rheumatic heart disease, hypertensive heart disease and coronary heart disease.
(1) Rheumatic heart disease
Rheumatic heart disease is an autoimmune disease, most common in children after a severe throat infection by certain strain of Streptococcus bacteria.
An antigen on the surface of these bacteria is very similar to an antigen on the surface of myocardium.
The antibodies against Streptococcus may react with myocardium and cause heart difficulties.
(2) Hypertensive heart disease
Hypertensive heart disease are caused by hypertension, i.e., increased blood pressure.
Serious hypertension is a common cause of chronic heart failure particularly in older people.
(c) Coronary heart diseases
Coronary heart diseases are characterised by impaired heart function due to inadequate blood flow to the heart.
Angina pectoris is the chest pain caused most often by myocardial anoxia.
Attacks of angina pectoris are often related to exertion, emotional disturbance and exposure to excess cold.
Myocardial infarction is commonly called coronary or heart attack.
Arteriosclerosis is the hardening of arteries due to deposition of cholesterol on arterial wall.
Coronary heart disease may be due to raised serum cholesterol, cigarette smoking, high blood pressure, physical inactivity, obesity and diabetes.
Cyanosis refers to a bluish coloration of the skin and mucous membranes due to too much deoxygenated haemoglobin in the blood.
Cyanosis commonly can be noticed in finger nails, toe nails and lips.
Irrational fear of disease is called pathophobia.
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