Homework

Testicular and Cervical Cancer
10/16/07
Testicular cancer is not that common and is not considered a deadly type of cancer, however if left untreated it can lead to death. Scientists have been trying to understand how and why testicular cancer is caused but no causes have been found. Testicular cancer can run in the family, if a baby is born with un-descended testicles then the baby is more likely to get testicular cancer and if the testicles are twisted this can lead to testicular cancer. The symptoms for testicular cancer include; swellings, pain in the lower pelvic region, a lump and sometimes nausea.
The treatment for testicular cancer include; the removal of the testical, and chemotherapy can be done.
Another cancer is known as cervical cancer, which is very common in women. A strand of the virus known as HPV (Human Papiloma Virus) is a major cause for cervical cancer. This virus can be passed from a male to a female, even if the male has no symptoms. HPV can be gotten if sexual contact is done with someone who has HPV. There may be no symptoms of HPV or in some cases genital warts can appear. There is a vaccine that helps prevent the two stands of the cervical cancer which is known as Gardasil, which is obtained over a time period of 6 months.


Tobacco
10/8/07

When Smokers Quit

Twenty minutes after quitting your heart rate and blood pressure will drop.

Twelve hours into quitting the carbon monoxide level in your body will drop to normal.

Two weeks to three months after quitting your circulation and lung functions increase.

One to nine months after quitting coughing and shortness of breathe decreases, normal functions of the lungs return and the risk of infections decrease.

One year after quitting the excess of coronary heart disease is half the risk of a smoker.

Five years after quitting your stroke risk is reduced to half of a nonsmoker 5-15 years after the person has quit.

Ten years after quitting lung cancer is reduced to half that of a continuing smoker, and the risk of other cancers such as the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, cervix and pancreas decrease.

Fifteen years after quitting the risk of coronary heart disease is that of a nonsmoker.

How many cigarettes is that?

Find out how many cigarettes are consumed over a given period of time. You supply the number of cigarettes or packs and the amount of time. Then press the "Calculate" button. "Reset" will let you try again.



# packs OR # cigarettes per day for # of (pick one): days
weeks
months
years




Total Cigarettes:

Total Packs:




Calculate the cost of smoking

Use our calculator to see how much cigarettes cost you.





Q.1 How much do you pay for a pack of cigarettes? $


Q.2 How many cigarettes are you smoking each day?


Q.3 When did you start smoking? (day | month | year)
| |


Cost per day: $

Cost per week: $

Cost per month: $

Cost per year: $

Cost if you continue smoking for years
$

A. Total cost to date: $





Find out how many cigarettes you smoke over a period of time with our Cigarette Calculator.




Secondhand Smoke

This type of smoke is a mixture of two types: sidesteam smoke and mainsteam smoke. Sidesteam smoke is smoke that comes from the end of a lighted cigarette, pipe or cigar. Mainstream smoke is the smoke that is exhaled by a smoker. When nonsmokers are exposed to the smoke of a smoker it is called involuntary smoking. These nonsmokers who are exposed to secondhand smoke absorb nicotine and other toxic chemicals just as the smokers do.

Why Is It a Problem?

Secondhand smoke is known as a “known human carcinogen” a cancer causing agent by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Tobacco smoke contains 4,000 chemical compounds and more than 60 of these compounds are suspected to cause cancer.
Secondhand smoke is harmful in many ways, in the United Sates alone, it is responsible each year for:
35,000 deaths from heart disease in people who live with smokers

3,400 lung cancer deaths in nonsmoking adults

respiratory problems in nonsmokers, including coughing, chest discomfort and reduced lung functions

150,000 to 300,000 lower respiratory tract infections in younger children 18 months of age, which have resulted in 7,500 to 15,000 hospitalizations
Smoking increases the number of severity of asthma attacks in about 200,000 to one million asthmatic children.

In a website (http://www.cancer.org/docroot/PED/content/PED_10_2X_Secondhand_Smoke-Clean_Indoor_Air.aspit) states that in 2006 US Surgeon General's report reached several important conclusions:
 Secondhand smoke causes premature death and disease in children and in adults who do not smoke.
 Children exposed to secondhand smoke are at an increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), acute respiratory infections, ear problems, and more severe asthma. Smoking by parents causes respiratory symptoms and slows lung growth in their children.
 Exposure of adults to secondhand smoke has immediate adverse effects on the cardiovascular system and causes coronary heart disease and lung cancer.
 Many millions of Americans, both children and adults, are still exposed to secondhand smoke in their homes and workplaces despite substantial progress in tobacco control.
Where is it a Problem?

There are three major locations secondhand smoking can occur at are: the workplace, public places, and the home.

The workplace is a major issue for secondhand smoke exposure to adults. Since the secondhand smoke from exposure in the workplace has been linked to an increased risk for heart disease and lung cancer among adult nonsmokers.

Public places make everyone vulnerable to secondhand smoke exposure in public places, such as restaurants, shopping centers, public transportation, schools, and daycare centers.

The home: In the United States, 21 million, or 35% of children live in homes where residents or visitors smoke in the home on a regular basis. Approximately 50% to 75% of children in the United States have detectable levels of cotinine, the breakdown product of nicotine, in their blood. (http://www.cancer.org/docroot/PED/content/PED_10_2X_Secondhand_Smoke-Clean_Indoor_Air.asp)



Drug Facts Chat Day!
10/12/07

How many people die a year from drugs?
Marsha Lopez:
That is a complicated question because not all drug deaths are identified as drug deaths. Intentional misuse of hazardous materials, for example, results in a lot of poisoning deaths and they may not be recognized. In general about 17,000 deaths a year are from use of illicit drugs. In addition, 440,000 die from tobacco related illnesses and 50,000 from alcohol every year.

What happens to you if you use ecstasy?

Thanks for this question. MDMA (3,4 methylenedioxymethamphetamine) is a synthetic, psychoactive drug that is chemically similar to the stimulant methamphetamine and the hallucinogen mescaline. MDMA acts as both a stimulant and psychedelic, producing an energizing effect, as well as distortions in time and perception and enhanced enjoyment from tactile experiences.

You might find it interesting to know that MDMA exerts its primary effects in the brain on neurons that use the chemical serotonin to communicate with other neurons. The serotonin system plays an important role in regulating mood, aggression, sexual activity, sleep, and sensitivity to pain. For some people, MDMA can be addictive, as evidenced by continued use despite knowledge of physical or psychological harm, withdrawal effects, and tolerance (or diminished response), and 34 percent met the criteria for drug abuse. Almost 60 percent of people who use MDMA report withdrawal symptoms, including fatigue, loss of appetite, depressed feelings, and trouble concentrating.

Chronic users of MDMA perform more poorly than nonusers on certain types of cognitive or memory tasks. Some of these effects may be due to the use of other drugs in combination with MDMA, among other factors. In high doses, MDMA can interfere with the body’s ability to regulate temperature. On rare but unpredictable occasions, this can lead to a sharp increase in body temperature (hyperthermia), resulting in liver, kidney, and cardiovascular system failure, and death. Users of MDMA face many of the same risks as users of other stimulants such as cocaine and amphetamines. These include increases in heart rate and blood pressure, a special risk for people with circulatory problems or heart disease, and other symptoms such as muscle tension, involuntary teeth clenching, nausea, blurred vision, faintness, and chills or sweating. Psychological effects have also been reported, and these can include confusion, depression, sleep problems, drug craving, and severe anxiety. These problems can occur during and sometimes days or weeks after taking MDMA. If you would like more information on Ecstasy, you might want to check out: http://www.drugabuse.gov/Infofacts/ecstasy.html.

How many kids die from drugs?

Liz Robertson - That is a complicated question because not all drug deaths are identified as drug deaths. Intentional misuse of hazardous materials for example results in a lot of poisoning deaths and they may not be recognized. In general about 17,000 deaths a year are from use of illicit drugs, however this is not broken down by age. In addition, 440,000 die from tobacco related illnesses and 50,00 from alcohol every year.


what is the least harmful drug?

Joe Frascella - This question is hard to answer precisely. There is a lot we still don't know about which drugs are more harmful than others. We do know that each person is different with different vulnerabilities to drugs, so it'shard to predict a drug's effects on an individual. It's a little like playing "Russian Roulette" -- if you choose to use drugs. But, if you do, the earlier you stop, the more likely you will be to avoid addiction and the harmful brain changes that lead to it. For more information, see http://www.drugabuse.gov/scienceofaddiction/addiction.html. Hope this helps, and thanks for the good question.

what happens when u do pcp?

David Shurtleff - PCP (phencyclidine) was actually developed as general anesthetic for surgery. When someone takes PCP, it can distort perceptions of sight and sound and produce feelings of detachment (dissociation) from the environment and self. Because of this, PCP is known as a"dissociative anesthetic." PCP acts by altering the distribution of the neurotransmitter glutamate throughout the brain. Glutamate is involved in the perception of pain, responses to the environment, and memory. Many PCP users are brought to emergency rooms because of overdose or because of the drug's unpleasant effects. For more information about PCP, see http://www.drugabuse.gov/ResearchReports/Hallucinogens/Hallucinogens.html.




1) What is it? 2) How do you get it? 3) What are the symptoms? 4) How can you know for sure? 5)How is it treated? 6) What can happen if you don’t take care of it?


Chlamydia:
Is an infection cause by bacteria which is received from sexual contact with another person that has Chlamydia. The symptoms are similar between women an men; no symptoms, pelvic pain, discharge (vaginal or penile) painful urination and women may bleed after intercourse. To find out if you have Chlamydia a urine or discharge sample will be sent off to a lab for further examination. Chlamydia can be treated with antibiotics. If you do not take care of Chlamydia it can cause severe infections of the reproduction organs, infertility, can pass from the mother to the child during childbirth, and can spread infection to other sex partners.

Gonorrhea:
Is an infection cause by bacteria which is received from sexual contact with another person that has Gonorrhea. Symptoms are similar between women and men; no symptoms, fever, pelvic pain, blood and puss from the anus, sore throat, and discharge from the penis or vagina. To find out if you have Gonorrhea a urine or discharge sample is sent to a lab for further examination. Gonorrhea can be treated with antibiotics. If Gonorrhea is not take care of properly it can cause PIF and or infertility, it can pass from mother to child during childbirth, health trouble, skin issues or arthritis, and can spread to other sex partner.

Syphilis:
Is an infection caused by bacteria through sexual contact. Early stages of Syphilis are painless sores on mouth, anus, penis or vagina, the second stage of Syphilis are new occurring sores, rash, fever, hair loss, body ache, sore throat or swollen glands. A medical examination of the sores or a blood test can take place to find out if you have Syphilis. It is treated by antibiotics or possible hospitalization. If you don’t take care of Syphilis it can cause heart and brain damage, can cause PID, sever damage to a fetus or even death and can cause death to the person that has Syphilis.

HIV/AIDS

Is a virus that damages the body’s ability to fight of infections. HIV is gotten by sexual contact, blood to blood, sharing contaminated needles, and breast milk. There may be no symptoms, unexplained fever or chills, constant diarrhea, dry cough with shortness of breath, constant fatigue, persistent white sots in the mouth, pink/purple flat raised blotches on or under the skin. HIV can be detected with a blood test or a orasure test. HIV/AIDS is treated with a mixture of medicine to fight the spread of infections and any accompanying illnesses. If HIV is not taken care of the development of life threatening illness can occur, a mother can pass it to her child, and can spread to sex partners or needle partners.

Genital Herpes:
Caused by the herpes simplex virus and is gotten by sexual contact. Symptoms are painful blisters that break into sores, sores dry up and disappear in 5-21 days and swollen glands can occur. To find out if you have Genital Herpes you can have a medical examination of the blisters, fluid may be taken and sent to a lab for further examination and a blood test can be taken. Genital Herpes can be treated with creams and other medications to help prevent the outbreaks in the future, once infected the virus stays in your body though. If the sores are not taken care of virus can spread to sex partners, mother can pass to her child during childbirth, can cause illness or death of the child and comes and go with stress or other illnesses.

Genital Warts:
An infection cause by the Human Papiloma Virus and can be gotten by contact from sexual contact from partners, skin to skin, virus can be passed if virus is not visible. There may not be any symptoms, small painless cauliflower like bumps, and slight itching. This virus is treated by having the warts burned, or frozen off but once the virus is gotten the virus stays in the body. Genital Warts can grow larger, become hard to remove, can lead to cervical cancer in women, can pass from mother to child during childbirth, and can spread to sex partner.

Pubic Lice (Crabs)
Is a parasite that lives around the hair by the genitals which can be gotten by sexual contact or skin to skin contact and infected towels or clothing, and bedding. Sever itching can occur, the ability to see the lice and eggs in the hair and small dots of blood in underwear. To find out if you have Crabs a visual exam of the area is done. Crabs are treated by using special shampoo, and washing bedding, clothing sect. must be done. If it is not taken care of it may lead to bacterial infection, may spread to others and symptoms may get worse.