Drugs Functions

Anti-Platelets Prevent ting clot formation

Anticoagulants Thinning the blood
Angiotensin Converting Relaxing the vessels
Enzymes (ACE) Inhibitors
and Calcium Channel
Blockers
Beta Blockers Lowering the heart’s contracting force, like in hypertension
Digitalis A drug extracted from foxgloves to make the heart contract harder,
for heart failure, etc.
Immunosuppressants To suppress immune system activity of rejection in transplant or
replacement of the heart or its parts like valves which do not function
properly if they are stiff, or they regurgitate in which prosthetic valves
are applied
The body is an incredible combination of organ systems which allow it to exist as a unified organism,
since all the systems are interlinked and we cannot exist without the proper functioning of all of
them. In this article, though, I will be focusing on the different diseases and issues each body system
may suffer, how the advent of science and technology is treating them and whether there is risk in
using these technologies. I will also be connecting these advances to the economic factor.

Unfortunately, all of the drugs have side-effects, such as nausea, headaches, nose bleeds,
depression, weakness, they may cause kidney damage, and less immunity to infections if we talk
about immunosuppressants.

Coronary Angiogram and Myocardial biopsy are both catheterized technologies to analyse blood
flow and for heart tissue respectively.

Coronary angioplasty, usually accompanied by stents, is a treatment done to remove clots. If this is
not possible, Coronary artery bypass is required where the clotted artery is substituted by another
route. Some complications may arise, like rupturing of the artery in process, formation of clot in the
stent or arrhythmia.

There are various techniques used to analyse and view any part of the body, include Computerized
tomography, Magnetic resonance imaging, PET scan, Echo technologies, etc. for diagnosis, but
sometimes some treatments are preferred more than others like MRIs cannot be given to those who
have metal devices in their bodies, and people sensitive to radiation will not be preferred for a CT
scans as it may cause radiation-induced cancer.

Radiotherapy is used mainly for cancers where it sends ionizing radiations to damage the DNA of the
cells for stopping its reproduction or even killing them. To prevent it from killing surrounding healthy
tissues Image Guided Radio Therapy is done which uses imaging techniques to aim more accurately.
______________

Nervous diseases are nearly always life-threatening as they target the body’s control unit. Most
diseases progress taking time and degenerate the parts of the brain as they kill neurons which are
hard to regenerate.

Many disease occur when the functioning of the neurons are damaged, like the following:

In Parkinson's disease, In Dementia, patients find

problems in thinking, memory,
there is a lack of a
language, perception of stimuli,
neurotransmitter named etc. which happens because of loss
dopamine causing of nerve cells, lack of blood supply
abnormal functioning that to the parts of the brain, etc. and
is usually found in patients of
leads to a nervous disorder
Alzheimer, and other neurological
related to movement and disease.
worsens as it progresses.

Multiple sclerosis is a disease In Alzheimer’s disease,

in which the immune cells plaques and tangles in the
attack the myelin sheath of brain result in the death of
the neurons resulting in an neurons which lead to
obstruction in transmitting memory loss and as it spreads
electrical impulses and can in the brain, it affects
lead to numbness, paralysis, planning, reasoning,
fatigue, forgetfulness, perception, language, etc.
depression, etc.

All these diseases can be treated by stem cells where they are directly applied to the brain through
the skull and in a short duration, the patients’ brains regenerate. The technique was pioneered at
Stanford University.

Radiotherapy is used mainly for cancers where it sends ionizing radiations to damage the DNA of the
cells for stopping its reproduction or even killing them. To prevent it from killing surrounding healthy
tissues Image Guided Radio Therapy is done which uses imaging techniques to aim more accurately.
 Cognitive Stimulation Therapy
Cognitive behaviour therapy
This is a psychological therapy where
It is a psychological groups of similar cognitive status
therapy where negative have talks and discussions. Its aim is
thought patterns and to progress from activities with less
cognitive development to ones with
perceptions are altered
more, but keeping the mood and
into positive ones atmosphere relaxed, fun and
allowing the patients to sometimes humorous. Anyone can
save themselves from do it which includes old people and
this treatment is counted efficient
depression, etc.
and successful. It also much cheaper
than any other method.

To
To
Solve
Solve

Dementia

Depression
Alzheimer’s

Memory
 Other types of diseases include inflammatory disease like encephalitis and meningitis. Encephalitis is
the inflammation of the Brain while meningitis is the inflammation of the meninges due to viruses,
bacteria, etc. and both have similar symptoms like headache, confusion, seizures, paralysis, memory
loss, among others. Severe cases may result in coma, loss of consciousness, etc. Lumbar puncture is
used to take samples of cerebrospinal fluid for analysis and can be used to inject drugs and
anaesthetic agents directly into the spinal canal, but may result in bleeding and headaches.

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation and Transcranial Direct current stimulation are used to treat
depression. Both the techniques stimulate the neurons at the cortex area which travels down to
many neurons at all areas of the brain. Both are non-invasive processes which are done repeatedly
until the problem is over and the patient may only feel head ache and light-headedness for small
duration, but the treatment is costly.

Electroencephalograms, are a way for doctors to record the electrical activity of the brain and other
technologies are used to regulate abnormal activity by firing electrical impulses, like Deep Brain
Stimulations and Responsive neurostimulation. There may be discomforts and risks but, like
headache, confusion, swelling and pain at site of implantation, Infection, complications to the
hardware, etc.

____________

Kidney Failure is when the Kidneys are unable to remove wastes from the body, maintain blood
pressure and an appropriate balance of nutrients, water, ions, RBCs and other particles in the blood.
When this happens:

Nitrogenous wastes remain in the blood which contaminates the full body

Uric acid remains in the body resulting in gout, which is a type of arthritis where
there is inflammation in any joint abruptly

Fluids are not removed so excess waste fluid is deposited at ankles, feet, lungs, etc.

Imbalance of ions and nutrients: hyperkalaemia (excess of potassium) leading to

inappropriate heart functioning

Nephrotic Syndrome: body leaks too much of proteins into the urine as the
glomeruli are damaged resulting in blood coagulation and may also result in
malnutrition and hypertension
 Kidney failure may be caused by Urinary tract infection (UTI) and Nephrosclerosis. UTI is
when micro-organisms infect any part of the urinary tract. Nephrosclerosis is the hardening of the
vessels that bring blood to the kidneys, mainly due to hypertension and soon backflow occurs
leading to less blood flow to the kidney.

When kidney failure occurs, dialysis is a temporary option. Usually a graft or a fistula is made which
is an invasive procedure and the patient has to come routinely for the process. It is quite painful and
risky, as explained in the description below:

“Dialysis was like just postponing my death and was a temporary

solution. It was so painful; and I felt terrified leaving my children and
family to go to do the dialysis, as it is very risky. Sometimes people
who are all fine having the dialysis going on suddenly die in midst of
the process. I was blessed to receive a kidney from a donor as this was
the only solution for my life. If I would miss the opportunity, I would die
anyway by doing dialysis.”
-A summarized and translated version of what a person who had
done dialysis before receiving a kidney for transplant had described
the experience of dialysis.

Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy (ESWL or SWL) is a technique by which kidney stones, usually
less than 2cm in size can be broken into many fragments by high pressure waves from outside the
body, but it is not a full proof method:

“After SWL, about 5O% of people will be stone free within a month. In
others, stone fragments of various sizes remain.”

-As per the National Kidney Foundation

If such happens, ESWL must be repeated and sometimes, doctors place a stent in the ureters for the
easy movement of the fragments. Unfortunately, such treatment is expensive.

If ESWL not applicable, Flexible Ureteroscopy is done where the doctors can visualize the stone and
they use lasers, to fragment the stone with more accuracy and it can also take a biopsy for
investigation. This is also not for the poor.
Some techniques for viewing how the excretory system functions and how urine is excreted are
Intravenous Pyelogram and Voiding cystourethrogram respectively. Both use dyes and X-rays and so
there is some radiation exposure and the dye may be an allergist, and so this has to be specified.
Both are minimally invasive techniques and are expensive.

_______________________

Immunotherapy is a drug treatment where the immune system is stimulated to fight diseases like
cancer, especially lung cancer. There are very less side-effects but, for some types of
immunotherapies, costs for a month of dose add up to around $12,500!1

Radiotherapy is used mainly for cancers where it sends ionizing radiations to damage the DNA of the
cells for stopping its reproduction or even killing them. To prevent it from killing surrounding healthy
tissues Image Guided Radio Therapy is done which uses imaging techniques to aim more accurately.

Since this technique isn’t affordable, transplantation may become an option. Ex-vivo lung perfusion
is a new technology used to improve the chances of lung transplant and increase the lung donor
pool. Healthy lungs available for transplantation have jumped from 20% to 80% as the machine
system allows the lungs to take rest and it allows the lungs to drench in a drug which heals it. This
will become ideal for those with lung cancer or severe physical trauma who need transplantation 2.

All the devices are

affordable by a
majority of the
people

Pulse Oximeter Peak Flow Meter

Lung flute: -It is used to monitor
-It checks on the
-To dislodge the concentration of the how open the air
excessive mucus in oxygen in the blood passages are and can
the lungs and make it be done any time
easier to cough the -To identify how well
a person or treatment without much effort
phlegm out
is going on for many -Analysis can be
-Mainly for people diseases like
with chronic calculated based on
pulmonary the readings
bronchitis, COPD and
embolisms, etc. recorded in a diary
Pneumonia

One life-threatening situation is pulmonary embolism, as mentioned in the diagram.

1
Beth Fand Incollingo, Considering Cost: What's an Immunotherapy Worth?, July 16, 2015
2
Video by: Tech Insider, Machine keeps lungs alive outside body, May 25, 2016
 Ventilation-perfusion lung scans (VQ scans) are used to shows how well oxygen and blood flow to all
the areas of the lungs as per Medicinenet. There are other methods, like pulmonary angiography as
well.

If the clot is severe and deadly, Catheter and thrombolytics are applied. Using a catheter, doctors
dissolve or extract the clot. Thrombolytics are types of medicines which can dissolve the clot quickly,
but they may commence abrupt bleeding and is why this is only used in extreme situations.

For preventive measures, Vena Cava Filters are placed in the inferior vena cava which filters any sort
of clot from reaching the lungs, but both cannot break an already formed clot.

Even with the natural protection the body offers, this digestive system is still vulnerable to diseases.

The diseases causes vary, but the most common are caused by unicellular organisms like chronic
gastritis Type B (by bacterium Helicobacter pylori), Cholera (by Vibrio Cholerae), etc.; the improper
functioning of certain areas of the GI, like in gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) where the lower
oesophageal sphincter allows the stomach acid goes up the oesophagus; autoimmune disorders like
Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD) which includes Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative Colitis (UC)
resulting in colon cancer due to the scarring and swelling in the area.

Endoscopic Procedures: Using Radiofrequency Energy to treat

GERD
They are equipped with cameras and
Technologies like ‘Stretta’ have developed which
lights, devices for biopsy, etc. and
sends radiofrequency energy to the muscles and
technologies like Confocal laser reduces chances of reflux.
endomicroscopy allow doctors to examine
“It's a non-surgical, minimally invasive,
the tissue at that time itself, and can endoscopically-based procedure where there is a
inject drugs, fluids and dyes for treatment treatment directed at the lower oesophagus and the
and easier observation. upper part of the stomach to try to reduce the reflux
tendencies through various mechanisms.”, said Dr
Aaron Tokayer (a gastroenterologist).

Drug treatment
There are many drugs we use in our daily
life for treatment of small less severe Usage of Radioisotopes for
issues, like acidity, etc. Other treatments observation
Ustekinumab is one of the few drugs
Barium is ingested by eating a meal
approved by National Institute for Health and
containing barium, etc. The barium will allow the
Care Excellence for patients of Crohn’s
GI tract to be seen on X-rays aiding
disease to live peacefully, but other drugs gastroenterologists to examine how the GI tract
treating same diseases like natalizumab is functioning. But cases of barium toxicity had
severe risk to a certain brain disease. been linked to contaminated barium in the
barium swallow tests, which lead to death.
How Application of Science and technology in Healthcare affects the
Economic Factor: -

Advanced and expensive instruments for diagnosis and treatment is definitely an advancement,
since although most of these treatments will not be available by the poor population, there will be
an increase in the salary of the doctor due to the expensive machinery, so there will be an increase
in the income of the doctor. This will result in the doctor giving a larger income tax, and the same
holds true if the doctor is a part of a hospital, since with better equipment, he will be able to treat
and diagnose more patients than before in a shorter time resulting in more income of the hospital as
well as the individual doctors.

Then, to operate, install, inspect and fix new machines, there will be the employment of specialized
people and again income tax will be paid.

For the transportation and other enterprises related to equipment, there will also be income and
taxes will have to be payed. Now if there are imports or exports of parts of the machine or the whole
machine itself, it will contribute to the global economy. There will still be some tax for importing or
exporting the machine in or out of the country which will go to the government.

Actually, these days doctors are focusing to create treatments which are as cheap as possible and
effective. But, the biggest break-throughs are usually above the reach of a majority of the
population, as innovations in science and technology consistently produce new technologies and as
the world develops, treatments which were previously expensive are now affordable and this can be
life-saving for the people with a lower financial status. Donor pools for organs in transplants will also
consistently increase due to technologies helping in preserving, extracting and implanting the organs
allowing the price for the treatment to decrease to an extent, and there is a similar manner in which
other technologies will get cheaper leading to global health care, even in underdeveloped areas.