Case Study On The Cardiovascular And Cardiopulmonary Pathophysiologic Processes
Case Study On The Cardiovascular And Cardiopulmonary Pathophysiologic Processes
The Cardiovascular and Cardiopulmonary Pathophysiologic Processes
The patient is suffering from a COPD exacerbation which may result from viral or bacterial lung infections, among other causes. When a patient is exposed to triggers like smoke, COPD symptoms such as chronic cough, sputum production, and shortness of breath exacerbate. Patients with emphysema have damaged alveoli that weaken the inner walls of inner sacs that rapture over time, resulting in shortness of breath as presented by the patient (McCance & Huether, 2019; Andre et al., 2019). The weak air sacs’ inner walls make the diaphragm flatten, increasing the air spaces that reduce the surface area of the lungs and the amount of oxygen in the blood. Also, emphysema increases pressure in the arteries between the lungs and the heart, resulting in pulmonary hypertension, which refers to high blood pressure in the blood vessels between the lungs and the heart (Dos Santos et al., 2022). The low deoxygenation and flow of blood affect the heart muscle cells, and they suffer damage (Rabe et al., 2018). It can result in heart attack and death due to reduced heart function Case Study On The Cardiovascular And Cardiopulmonary Pathophysiologic Processes.
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Racial Variables
Race plays a modifying role in the genetic composition of an individual, which is a substantial variable in the physiologic functioning of an individual. According to CDC (2021), racism in the United States (US) affects an individual’s neighbourhood, workplaces, and schooling, play areas, and worship places. It creates disparities in access to various economic and social benefits, including health, employment, and education. For example, evidence shows that Hispanic and African American races have a higher risk of heart conditions such as myocardial and heart failure. The reason for these minority groups being at a higher risk is due to modifiable and non-modifiable variables like healthcare access disparity, obesity, lack of healthcare insurance, and poor literacy in healthcare.
Process Interactions
Due to the weaker inner walls of air sacs, the diaphragm flattens, and the surface area reduces, reducing the amount of oxygen in the blood. The airways are also partially blocked, making transport of air in and out of the lungs difficult, and the patient experiences shortness of breath. The impairment of the cardiopulmonary process affects the cardiovascular process. For instance, due to lower oxygen levels and lower flow of blood, the blood pressure in the arteries between the lungs and the heart increases, resulting in pulmonary hypertension, which refers to high blood pressure in the blood vessels between the lungs and the heart (Dos Santos et a., 2022). The increased pressure in the arteries causes the left side of the heart to fail, resulting in fluid build-up in the lungs, and the patient’s symptoms, such as coughing, are aggravated Case Study On The Cardiovascular And Cardiopulmonary Pathophysiologic Processes.
CASE STUDY: 45-year-old woman presents with chief complaint of 3-day duration of shortness of breath, cough with thick green sputum production, and fevers. Patient has history of COPD with chronic cough but states the cough has gotten much worse and is interfering with her sleep. Sputum is thicker and harder for her to expectorate. CXR reveals flattened diaphragm and increased AP diameter. Auscultation demonstrates hyper resonance and coarse rales and rhonchi throughout all lung fields.
In your Case Study Analysis related to the scenario provided, explain the following
• The cardiovascular and cardiopulmonary pathophysiologic processes that result in the patient presenting these symptoms.
• Any racial/ethnic variables that may impact physiological functioning.
• How these processes interact to affect the patient.
References
André, S., Conde, B., Fragoso, E., Boléo-Tomé, J., Areias, V., & Cardoso, J. (2019). COPD and Cardiovascular Disease. Pulmonology, 25(3), 168–176. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pulmoe.2018.09.006
CDC (2021). Racism and health. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/healthequity/racism-disparities/index.html
Dos Santos, P. B., Simões, R. P., Goulart, C. L., Arêas, G. P. T., Marinho, R. S., Camargo, P. F., & Borghi-Silva, A. (2022). Responses to incremental exercise and the impact of the coexistence of HF and COPD on exercise capacity: a follow-up study. Scientific Reports, 12(1), 1-14.
McCance, K. L. & Huether, S. E. (2019). Pathophysiology: The biologic basis for disease in adults and children (8th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Mosby/Elsevier.
Rabe, K. F., Hurst, J. R., & Suissa, S. (2018). Cardiovascular disease and COPD: dangerous liaisons. European Respiratory Review, 27(149)Case Study On The Cardiovascular And Cardiopulmonary Pathophysiologic Processes.