8. Statins are drugs which reduce the production of cholesterol in the liver - Scottish Highers Human Biology - Question 8 - 2016
Question 8
8. Statins are drugs which reduce the production of cholesterol in the liver. A year-long trial was carried out to investigate the effects of taking a newly-develope... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:8. Statins are drugs which reduce the production of cholesterol in the liver - Scottish Highers Human Biology - Question 8 - 2016
Step 1
Using the results in the table, give one reason why this drug might be recommended
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Answer
This drug might be recommended because it lowers blood cholesterol levels, as evidenced by the reduction in cholesterol from 6.3 mmol/l at the start to 5.1 mmol/l by month 12 in Group 1.
Step 2
Using the results in the table, give one reason why this drug might be not recommended
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This drug might not be recommended because the final average cholesterol level in Group 2 (the control group) remained consistent at 6.1 mmol/l, indicating that the drug may not provide a significant improvement compared to no treatment.
Step 3
Suggest what was prescribed to the individuals in Group 2 during this trial
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Individuals in Group 2 were likely prescribed a placebo or no drug at all to serve as a control for comparison.
Step 4
Describe the design features which would have been used to ensure that this was both a randomised and a double-blind trial
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Randomised: All individuals would have an equal chance of being assigned to either group, ensuring that the groups are comparable.
Double-blind: Neither the participants nor the researchers would know which individuals were receiving the statin or the placebo, thereby reducing bias in the results.
Step 5
Using evidence from the bar graph, suggest why it was decided that this statin was not worth further development
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The error bars in the bar graph indicate significant overlap, suggesting there is no significant difference between the groups' cholesterol levels after treatment, leading to the conclusion that the statin may not be effective.
Step 6
Describe one function of cholesterol in the human body
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Answer
Cholesterol is found in cell membranes and is essential for maintaining membrane fluidity and structural integrity.
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