Human Geography - Population and
Environment CASE STUDY CHD
Impact of CHD on economic wellbeing - correct answer ✔- £87 billion spent
on CHD in the NHS - cost to UK economy is £19 billion
- number of people who are disabled by CHD could be halved by a
combination of drugs costing $14 USD per patient
- cost to individuals taking time off work and paying for healthcare
Impact of CHD on health and well being - correct answer ✔- CHD sufferers
must be on medicine for the rest of their life - including wartins (blood
thinners) and pacemakers
Impact of CHD on health and wellbeing - ANGINA - correct answer ✔- most
common symptom of CHD -- a low level but constant chest pain which can
spread all over the body and increase in pain when under physical stress (eg
when exercising)
- treatment: symptoms relieved with nitrate tablets, sprays, beta blockers,
calcium channel blockers, aspirin or other clot preventing drugs
Impact of CHD on health and wellbeing - HEART ATTACK - correct answer
✔- common symptom of CHD which can permentantly damage the heart
muscle and can be fatal
- occurs when heart is too weak to pump blood around the body -- can cause
fluid build up making it hard to breath
- 90% of people survive heart attacks
- treatment: heart bypass surgery to reduce risk (stressful and risky)
- rehabilitation programmes: focus on excercise, educucation lifestyle choices,
relaxation and emotional support
, Coronary Heart Disease - correct answer ✔condition that develops when the
major blood vessels supplying the heart with O2, blood and nutrients are
damaged or diseased -- leading cause of death worldwide
RISK FACTORS: Physical environment - air quality - correct answer ✔-
changing physical environment has been a contributory factor to increases in
heart disease -- industrialisation has brought negative effects
- studies in UK show air quality is NOT significantly linked to CHD
- increased exposure to air pollutants increases risk of CHD -- this suggests
that rural environments with less air pollution have less risk of CHD BUT NO
evidence of this in the developed world
RISK FACTORS: Physical environment - relief and topography - correct
answer ✔- NO clear link
- BUT areas with more challenging relief require more physical effort which
increases physical exercise - this is linked to a lower risk of CHD
RISK FACTORS: Physical environment - climate - correct answer ✔- cold
damp winters in temperate climates have a negative impact on the cardio
respiratory system and therefore increase the risk of heart failure
- in UK temperature and sunshine is associated with CHD mortality rates --
higher CHD mortality in areas with lower average temperatures and hours of
sunshine
- this suggests that climate has a small BUT significant association with CHD
mortality rates
RISK FACTORS: Physical environment - evaluation - correct answer ✔-
physical factors not necessary most important
- correlation does not mean there is a causative link
- lots of factors at play making it hard to pinpoint the exact cause
Environment CASE STUDY CHD
Impact of CHD on economic wellbeing - correct answer ✔- £87 billion spent
on CHD in the NHS - cost to UK economy is £19 billion
- number of people who are disabled by CHD could be halved by a
combination of drugs costing $14 USD per patient
- cost to individuals taking time off work and paying for healthcare
Impact of CHD on health and well being - correct answer ✔- CHD sufferers
must be on medicine for the rest of their life - including wartins (blood
thinners) and pacemakers
Impact of CHD on health and wellbeing - ANGINA - correct answer ✔- most
common symptom of CHD -- a low level but constant chest pain which can
spread all over the body and increase in pain when under physical stress (eg
when exercising)
- treatment: symptoms relieved with nitrate tablets, sprays, beta blockers,
calcium channel blockers, aspirin or other clot preventing drugs
Impact of CHD on health and wellbeing - HEART ATTACK - correct answer
✔- common symptom of CHD which can permentantly damage the heart
muscle and can be fatal
- occurs when heart is too weak to pump blood around the body -- can cause
fluid build up making it hard to breath
- 90% of people survive heart attacks
- treatment: heart bypass surgery to reduce risk (stressful and risky)
- rehabilitation programmes: focus on excercise, educucation lifestyle choices,
relaxation and emotional support
, Coronary Heart Disease - correct answer ✔condition that develops when the
major blood vessels supplying the heart with O2, blood and nutrients are
damaged or diseased -- leading cause of death worldwide
RISK FACTORS: Physical environment - air quality - correct answer ✔-
changing physical environment has been a contributory factor to increases in
heart disease -- industrialisation has brought negative effects
- studies in UK show air quality is NOT significantly linked to CHD
- increased exposure to air pollutants increases risk of CHD -- this suggests
that rural environments with less air pollution have less risk of CHD BUT NO
evidence of this in the developed world
RISK FACTORS: Physical environment - relief and topography - correct
answer ✔- NO clear link
- BUT areas with more challenging relief require more physical effort which
increases physical exercise - this is linked to a lower risk of CHD
RISK FACTORS: Physical environment - climate - correct answer ✔- cold
damp winters in temperate climates have a negative impact on the cardio
respiratory system and therefore increase the risk of heart failure
- in UK temperature and sunshine is associated with CHD mortality rates --
higher CHD mortality in areas with lower average temperatures and hours of
sunshine
- this suggests that climate has a small BUT significant association with CHD
mortality rates
RISK FACTORS: Physical environment - evaluation - correct answer ✔-
physical factors not necessary most important
- correlation does not mean there is a causative link
- lots of factors at play making it hard to pinpoint the exact cause
