Haemoglobin measurements
Table 1. Blood pressure readings from 9 patients on drug trial. Age range of patients 65-75.
Male = 5 Female = 4
Blood pressure
(mmHg)
Before Treatment After
Treatment
Diastolic pressure 87 82
89 87
95 90
90 88
99 91
95 92
94 89
89 88
89 79
Systolic pressure 130 120
144 132
144 missing
reading
150 135
147 135
139 140
138 144
156 150
140 138
3
Table 2. Haemoglobin measurements taken from a selection of the patients on the drug trial after
the drug treatment.
Measurement Patient data Normal range
Haemoglobin Men: 12.9 g/dl
Women: 11.9 g/dl
Men: 13-17 g/dl
Women 12-15 g/dl
Questions.
1. Summarise the data provided in Table 1, and from this create a graph (or graphs) which
illustrate the data in a suitable format, to indicate the effect (if any) of treatment on blood
pressure. You should include appropriate error bars in your results, however, you are NOT
required to perform any statistical analysis. Your summary should indicate what data you
used, and what calculations you performed in order to produce the graph(s). (100 words
approx) (15 marks)
2. Comment on the results which you have summarised above. (150 words approx) (5 marks)
3. What (if anything) can you deduce from the data in Table 2? (100 words approx) (5 marks)
4. How would you set up a similar trial of this drug, to make it a randomised double blind
placebo controlled study? (300 words approx) (10 marks)
5. The trial drug has a similar structure (and the same mode of action) to that of the drug
captopril. Explain how this trial drug works to lower blood pressure. (150 words) (5 marks)
6. Write an essay (1000 words +/-10%) on recent developments (ie within the last 5 years) in
treatment of ONE of the following conditions. You must cite (and reference) a minimum of 3
journal articles in your essay. You may include diagrams in your answer, these are not
included in the word count, unless you include a lot of text in the diagrams. Citations are part
of the word count, the reference list is not. Please include a word count at the end of your
essay.
OPTIONS:
Coronary artery disease
Ovarian cancer
A named psychiatric condition (you choose one)