Microsoft Word - case study student final BM semester 2 2021_RZ_BM
BIOL122 End-of-semester worksheet Semester 2, 2021
End-of-semester worksheet
Instructions for submission
To identify which question you answer, write Q1/1 answer…, Q1/2 answer…., and do not
epeat/copy the questions. This is requested to ensure you do not generate a high similarity
score in Turnitin. Note that mark deductions apply if you repeat the questions in your
answer sheet, or we cannot unambiguously identify the questions your answers address.
To show your understanding of the content, and that you are answering the questions asked
(rather than adding all the information you can find about a topic), we strongly suggest that
none of your answers exceed 250 words. Answers that are excessively long may be marked
down as they do not clearly show your understanding of the subject matter. Note that for
most questions, you can write well under 250 words and still appropriately answer them.
Importantly, the quality of your answers does not get better if you are ve
ose, state facts
i
elevant to the question, or provide an answer to a question you would have liked to see.
Your answers must not be copy-pasted from your notes, workbook, textbooks, or the
internet. In fact, we are deliberately asking questions that make you reflect on and piece
together information you have learnt throughout the semester. Therefore, you do not have
to provide references. To get full marks, you will need to clearly demonstrate that you
understood the learning material and are able to apply the acquired knowledge. When
marking, we are looking for connections to be clearly stated, unambiguously written, and
well-reasoned. We expect high-quality and convincing writing, where the meaning is clear,
elevant terminology is used, and which reflects engagement with the unit. Do not be afraid
of using dot points wherever you can; succinct and clear writing is far superior to a word
salad or to several paragraphs without essence.
For maximum mark, you are expected to answer all questions in ALL case studies.
Hints/feedback from previous semesters
Take care that your answers have the expected level of depth—it will not be enough, for
example, to state that ‘drug X decreases blood pressure’; we expect you to explain the
mechanism of, and describe the chain of events leading to, the desired/known effects.
As an attempt to try to hide blatant plagiarism, some students had just simply replaced
certain words in their text they copied from the internet/textbooks. This is not paraphrasing
ut cheating (i.e., plagiarism). In addition, the replacement words tend to alter the meaning
and/or may be inappropriate in the context of the answer.
Any form of academic misconduct (e.g., plagiarism, collusion, or sloppy paraphrasing) will be
subject to vigorous academic misconduct investigations resulting in mark deductions,
cancellation of the assessment task, and/or disciplinary hearings.
We are particularly keen on seeing evidence of your critical thinking skills—i.e., you are
supposed to assess all information you obtain from various reliable sources (textbooks,
lecture material, journal articles). Please be aware that just because Google suggests an
answer, it does not mean it is co
ect.
BIOL122 End-of-semester worksheet Semester 2, 2021
CASE STUDY ONE (25 marks)
Mary-Lou is a 75-year-old widow, who lost her husband to cancer over a year ago. Her family and
friends have noticed that she has been very teary, has low self-esteem, and has lost interest in the
things she used to love, such as going to bingo with her friends and gardening. Her family initially
put this down to the loss of her husband and thought it would pass with time. However, they are
now getting really concerned as they have noticed that Mary-Lou’s mood is not improving
still. When asked by her daughter if she is sleeping well, she says she has been drinking wine every
night to help her go to sleep because it makes her feel happy and relaxed. What started as one glass
a night has now increased to two or three glasses a night, and she has also started drinking during
the day. Her daughter has noticed that her mum’s face always appears flushed and that she has had
quite a few colds lately. Mary-Lou is also losing her balance and experiencing mood swings. Her
daughter is wo
ied that she is relying too heavily on alcohol and fears that she is starting to
get short-term memory loss from the alcohol consumption. She has been forgetting things such as
where she put her keys, whether she turned on the washing machine, and why she opened the
fridge. Further, Mary-Lou tends to forget the topic of conversation when talking with her daughter
on the phone and has also been getting disorientated and lost when she goes out on her daily
walks. The other day, for example, a neighbor rang her daughter to tell her that she found Mary-Lou
wandering around aimlessly, and when questioned what she was doing, Mary-Lou snapped and said
she was trying to get home. Her daughter decided it was time to take Mary-Lou to the local GP to
work out what was going on with her.
After listening to the signs and symptoms Mary-Lou was experiencing, the GP diagnosed her with
depression and prescribed a SSRI to be taken daily. Based on the results of clinical and radiological
assessments, the GP determined that she also had early onset Alzheimer’s disease. He prescribed a
cholinesterase inhibitor and gave the family information on support groups and tips on what to do
from here on in. He also prescribed a tranquiliser to be taken daily.
Question 1 (5 marks)
Based on the description above
Select/name one of the diseases/conditions Mary-Lou is suffering from and describe
two signs and/or symptoms from Mary-Lou’s history that support your selection.
Explain the pathophysiology of the condition you named
Question 2 (3 marks)
Explain the mechanism of action of one drug type Mary-Lou is prescribed with and describe how
these drug actions help mitigate some of her symptoms. In you answer, make references to the
pathophysiology of the relevant disease and relate the chosen drug’s mechanism of action to the
aetiology/pathogenesis of the disease.
Question 3 (4 marks)
The following questions relate to a drug called MedZ:
a. MedZ contains 200 mg of the active ingredient in an intestine-solvent capsule. The active
ingredient is effectively transported across the intestinal mucosa, which ensures that 78% of
the drug is abso
ed and enters the portal circulation. The drug undergoes a significant
degree of first-pass metabolism, in which process 55% of the drug passing through the liver
gets metabolized and therefore degraded to an inactive product. Calculate MedZ’s
ioavailability and show your calculations (2 marks).
BIOL122 End-of-semester worksheet Semester 2, 2021
. When administered alone, 82% of MedZ is bound to plasma albumin. However, because
of the higher plasma protein binding affinity of another drug, called MedY, when MedZ and
MedY are administered together, the bound fraction of MedZ decreases to 35%.
i. Identify the type of drug interaction between MedZ and MedY in the present
scenario and give your rationale (1 mark).
ii. Assuming that MedZ and MedY are administered together in an elderly patient,
explain if the dose of MedZ should be decreased, increased, or left unchanged and
give your rationale. (1 marks).
Mary-Lou’s family was happy with the management plan established by the doctor as Mary-Lou was
progressing quite well. She was using notepads to jot down reminders, a pillbox to keep her
medication organized, and a calendar to record appointments. Her family members were helping
her with routine tasks such as cooking and paying bills. She was feeling much happier and did not
have to rely on alcohol to go to sleep. One day she was feeling so good she decided to walk to her
GP appointment alone. On her way there she stumbled over a
anch and fell. She felt excruciating
pain in her hip. A passer-by called an ambulance, and she was taken to the emergency department
at the Royal Melbourne Hospital. An X-ray revealed that she had hip fracture and had to have
surgery to repair it. Mary-Lou wondered whether this was linked to the pain she had been
experiencing in her left knee for a while now. The specialist explained to Mary-Lou that the pain in
her left knee was likely due to degeneration of her cartilage and said that the fracture might have
een due to weakened bones. He told her he would like her to have a bone mineral density test to
measure her bone density. The DEXA scan gave a T-score of −3.0. Mary-Lou is now given
isphosphonates and told to increase her daily intake of calcium.
Question 4 (5 marks)
Name the disease affecting Mary-Lou’s left knee and describe two characteristic clinical
manifestations of this pathology (2 mark). Explain the aetiology and pathophysiology of the disease
(3 mark).
Question 5 (5 marks)
Considering Mary-Lou’s T-score, identify the disease she suffers from,
iefly describe the
pathogenesis of this disease, describe the mechanism of action of bisphosphonate administration,
and explain the benefits of this treatment in her present condition.
Question 6 (3 marks)
Discuss why Mary-Lou’s fracture may take longer to heal than it would for someone who was half
her age. In your answer, you are expected to name and discuss three physiological factors that are
needed for healing to take place and explain how each of the factors you identified is affected by
ageing.
BIOL122 End-of-semester worksheet Semester 2, 2021
CASE STUDY 2 (8 marks)
Hilda Wilde is a 45-year-old woman, who was diagnosed with asthma as a child. She recalls her first
asthma attack being ho
endous; chest tightness,
eathing difficulty, wheezing, feeling anxious,