alterations in the cardiovascular and respiratory systems
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Case Study Analysis
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Case Study Analysis
Scenario: 76-year-old female patient complains of weight gain, shortness of breath, peripheral
edema, and abdominal swelling. She has a history of congestive heart failure and admits to not
taking her diuretic, as it makes her “have to get up every couple hours to go to the bathroom.”
She now must sleep on two pillows in order to get enough air.
Introduction
The cardiovascular and cardiopulmonary systems are some of the most vital organs of the
human body. They include the lungs, arteries, veins, heart, and blood vessels. The two systems
work hand in hand to aid in the transportation of oxygen throughout the body. Congestive heart
failure is a common dysfunction of the cardiovascular and cardiopulmonary and it’s a common
condition in the United States (Enwerem et al., 2018). It is a condition characterized by heart
failure to pump enough oxygenated blood to the whole body. This may cause organ failure, fluid
collection in the lungs, swelling, and shortness of breath. In addition, congestive heart failure is
indicated by fatigue, dyspnea upon laying down, ascites, and edema. The presented patient case
exhibits the symptoms of congestive heart failure. This paper will explore both cardiovascular
and cardiopulmonary pathophysiologic processes of the presented patient symptoms, the
interaction of the cardiovascular and cardiopulmonary pathophysiologic processes, and
racial/ethnic variables which may affect physiological functioning.
The Cardiovascular and Cardiopulmonary Pathophysiologic Processes that Result in the
Patient Presenting these Symptoms
The patient exhibits symptoms of congestive heart failure exacerbation because of
diuretic non-adherence. The duration that she has experienced the symptoms and diagnostic tests
and values are useful. In addition, the patient is experiencing abdominal swelling, weight gain,
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peripheral edema, and shortness of breath which are the main clinical indications of right-sided
heart failure (Dharmarajan & Rich, 2017). Cardiovascular pathophysiologic processes may result
from behavioral practices such as poor dietary measures, which develop from the inability to
cope with distress, increased smoking, and reduced physical exercises. In addition, stress
activates the sympathetic nervous system and pituitary adrenocortical axis, which triggers
pathophysiological processes, including cardiac metabolic control, inflammation, and
homeostasis (Hohlfeld et al., 2018). Intrathoracic pressure is decreased by spontaneous reduction
of inspiratory efforts. The spontaneous efforts may result in acute ventricles failure leading to
pulmonary edema and cardiac failure.
Any Racial/Ethnic Variables that may Impact Physiological Functioning
Racial and ethnic variables which are likely to affect physiological functioning are body
fitness and eating habits. In addition, alcohol consumption and continuous smoking have an
adverse influence on older adults and may lead to an increased risk of heart failure and other
complicated conditions. According to Carnethon et al. (2017), African Americans live an average
unhealthy life compared to white people who live healthier lives.
How the Cardiovascular and Cardiopulmonary Pathophysiologic Processes Interact
to Affect the Patient
Cardiovascular and cardiopulmonary processes interact in the heart when the lungs
experience hyperinflation on the left side of the heart (Dharmarajan & Rich, 2017). Forward
heart failure may occur due to the inability of the heart to pump blood effectively from the lungs.
Forward heart failure is indicated by symptoms such as palpitations, fatigue, and weakness. On
the other hand, backward heart failure occurs when the heart cannot pump deoxygenated blood
from the body parts. This results in abdominal swelling, shortness of breath, and jugular vein
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distension. The heart failure to pump blood to the lungs from the body parts for oxygenation, the
fluid load increases in the body. The backed-up blood causes a high concentration of carbon
dioxide and results in fatigue and weakness. According to Hohlfeld et al. (2018), when the heart
fails and enlarges, it causes pressure to the lung, which may not expand fully, causing shortness
of breath.
Conclusion
Congestive heart failure causes several admissions in hospitals every year. The indicators
of congestive heart failure are weight gain, dyspnea, ascites, and edema. African Americans are
prone t the condition due to their socioeconomic and risk of obesity and hypertension. As
congestive heart failure develops, the heart enlarges and causes pressure on the lungs, which
stiffens, increasing the risk of adverse long-term organ damage.
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References
Carnethon, M. R., Pu, J., Howard, G., Albert, M. A., Anderson, C. A., Bertoni, A. G., ... & Yancy,
C. W. (2017). Cardiovascular health in African Americans: a scientific statement from the
American Heart Association. Circulation, 136(21), e393-e423. https://doi-
org.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/10.1161/CIR.0000000000000534
Dharmarajan, K., & Rich, M. W. (2017). Epidemiology, pathophysiology, and prognosis of heart
failure in older adults. Heart failure clinics, 13(3), 417-426.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hfc.2017.02.001
Enwerem, N. M., Okunji, P. O., Ngwa, J. S., Karavatas, S. G., Fungwe, T. V., & Obisesan, T. O.
(2018). Prevalence of Parkinson Disease in Hospitalized Patients with Congestive Heart
Failure. International Journal of Studies in Nursing, 3(2), 23.
https://doi.org/10.20849/ijsn.v3i2.371
Hohlfeld, J. M., Vogel-Claussen, J., Biller, H., Berliner, D., Berschneider, K., Tillmann, H. C., ...
& Welte, T. (2018). Effect of lung deflation with indacaterol plus glycopyrronium on
ventricular filling in patients with hyperinflation and COPD (CLAIM): a double-blind,
randomized, crossover, placebo-controlled, single-center trial. The Lancet Respiratory
Medicine, 6(5), 368-378. https://doi.org/10.1016/s2213-2600(18)30054-7
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