Genetic Approaches to Noncommunicable Diseases

ISBN-13: 9783642646621 / Angielski / Miękka / 2011 / 155 str.

Kare Berg; Victor Boulyjenkov

Opis

In recent years, the progress made in the prevention of mortality and morbidity caused by communicable diseases and malnutrition has changed the disease spectrum in both developed and, particularly developing countries. As a result, noncommunicable diseases, includ ing genetic disorders, have achieved considerable importance in public health. Furthermore, it is now evident that inherited predisposition is important in a number of common diseases that occur in later life, such as atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and in some rheumatic, oncological, and mental illnesses that appear at an early stage and develop into severe handicaps in predisposed people. Rapid advances in gene mapping concerned with international human genome research make it almost certain that the use of new genetic knowledge will dramatically increase the requirement for genetic approaches in the control of a wide spectrum of diseases, and will provide possibilities for their prevention and treatment in the form of changes in lifestyle, diet modification, periodic check-ups, or the administration of gene therapy. It appears that one of the main problems in delivering genetics services is the difficulty involved in informing the health profession and the community of the real sig nificance of genetic problems. There is, therefore, a need for international collaboration in improving genetic health education at all levels and in improving health through genetic approaches."

Spis treści

Genetics and Environment in Common Diseases.- Predictive Testing for Huntington Disease: Lessons for Other Adult Onset Disorders.- Molecular Genetics of Mental Disorders: Facts and Hopes.- Lp(a) Genes, Other Genes, and Coronary Heart Disease.- MED-PED: An Integrated Genetic Strategy for Preventing Early Deaths.- Molecular Genetics of the Renin Angiotensin Aldosterone System in Human Hypertension.- Genetics of Non-insulin-dependent Diabetes Mellitus Among Mexican Americans: Approaches and Perspectives.- The Genetics of Asthma.- Prospects of Cancer Control Through Genetics.- Human Genome Research and Its Possible Applications to the Control of Genetic Disorders.- Improvement of Adenoviral Vectors for Human Gene Therapy.- Towards an Ethics of ‘Complexity’ for ‘Common’ Diseases?.- Disorders with Complex Inheritance in India: Frequency and Genetic/Environmental Interactions.

Blurb

This book presents reviews on recent developments in human genome research and their possible application to the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases. The progress made in understanding the etiology and pathogenesis of a number of diseases of later life, e.g. heart disease, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and cancer, has illustrated that genetic factors and genetic predisposition are very important. Actual and potential applications of new genetic technology for improving health, which raise not only scientific but also ethical and social issues, were therefore considered at the joint WHO/Fondation IPSEN meeting in St. Petersburg in December 1994. The proceedings of this meeting are published herein. There is a need for international collaboration in improving genetic health education at all levels, and in improving health through genetic approaches.