Illness and Disease Management

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Illness and Disease Management

SU NSG4055 W3-Project

Illness and Disease Management

The analysis of the information collected reveals that the patient is living a dormant lifestyle, further exposing himself to many health risks. From the responses provided, it is evident that the patient eats more than is required. The patient stated that he eats four or more meals per day, which contributes to his obesity problem. An increase in the amount of food intake without physical activity leads to an increase in the number of calories in the body that are not used because the patient does not exercise. From the responses, it is evident that the patient eats many sweets, such as candy and ice cream. The patient stated that he eats sweets four times a week or more, indicating that his sugar intake is higher than recommended. Sugar is one of the leading contributors to obesity and other related illnesses such as Diabetes mellitus.

Furthermore, the patient confirmed that he also takes sweetened beverages like soft drinks and juices more than four times every week, meaning that the amount of sugar in his body is high. The patient also eats many greasy foods, contributing to increased body weight and fat deposits within his arteries. The fat deposits along the arteries block the arteries making it hard for blood cells to pass into the lungs. The heart is, therefore, forced to overwork to pump blood throughout the body. The patient also confirmed that he does not eat any fruits and vegetables, thus further denying his essential body minerals. The lack of exercise is also a significant factor which has contributed to the development of pulmonary artery. The lack of exercise means that the patient's body does not burn the excess calories ingested, leading to the depositing of fat along the arteries. Excessive fat deposits along the arteries may constrict the arteries making it hard for blood to flow through, the excessive fat can also be stored around the internal organs and under the skin.

Support Needed by the Patient

Since the patient is suffering from pulmonary heart disease, there are several support needs such as;

· Understanding the disease

· Managing symptoms and medication

· Health lifestyle

· Managing feelings and worries

· Encouragement to live positively

· Motivating him to think about the future

· Managing anxiety and depression

· Families and close relationships

· Social and recreational life

· Independence

· Navigating services

If all the needs listed are provided, the patient can help manage his condition more easily and live a happy and fulfilling life.

Although there is no cure for pulmonary heart disease, there are several interventions that can be carried out by medical professionals to manage the disease. The interventions help in slowing the progress of the disease and improving the symptoms. One of the interventions that can be carried out by a physician is blood vessel dilators or vasodilators, which help in unblocking or opening up blood vessels that have been narrowed by fat deposits (Parkinson et al., 2017). The use of vasodilators is efficient in the management of pulmonary heart disease because it improves blood flow through the veins, thus helping the heart muscles to relax and pump blood more efficiently. Doctors mostly use epoprostenol, which is one of the most effective vasodilators (Zhang et al., 2020). The drug is introduced to the body through an intravenous line attached to a pump, which is normally attached to a patient's belt. Some of the side effects of vasodilators are infection, jaw pain, leg cramps, among others.

A physician can also manage pulmonary heart disease using Guanylate cyclase (GSC) stimulators. The stimulators increase the amount of nitric oxide in the body leading to the relaxation or opening up of the arteries. The relaxation of the arteries allows blood to flow through them more easily (Zhang et al., 2020). The eased blood flow prevents the heart from overworking, thus improved health. Some of the side effects of using GSC stimulators include fainting and nausea. The stimulators should not be taken during pregnancies.

Furthermore, a physician can also administer Endothelin receptor antagonists as a treatment method for the patient. The antagonists reverse the effects of endothelin, which contribute to the narrowing of blood vessels. Examples of endothelin receptor antagonists are ambrisentan, bosentan, and macitentan (Parkinson et al., 2017). The drugs effectively manage pulmonary heart diseases because they increase a patient's energy levels and improve symptoms. The application of the treatment methods discussed could improve the patient's health and help him live a more comfortable life.

How to Implement the Objectives of Healthy People 2020

The Healthy People 2020 initiative was launched by the Department of Health and Human Services in 2010 to improve the quality of health among people in the United States. The initiative's fours main programs are the attainment of quality and longer lives free from premature death and preventable diseases, the achievement of equity in health, the creation of a physical and social environment that supports good health for every American, and the promotion of healthy development and behaviors across all life stages (Neumann et al., 2016). Several ways can be used to achieve the four main objectives of the Healthy People 2020 initiative. One of the major ways is the restructuring of the current healthcare system in the United States and adopting a universal healthcare model. A universal healthcare model would allow everyone in the United States to have access to quality healthcare. Most of the objectives of the Healthy People 2020 initiatives have not been attained because the United States has the highest healthcare costs in the world (Sunshine et al., 2017). People that do not have health insurance find it hard to access quality healthcare leading to increased mortality rates.

The goals of the initiatives could also be implemented through increased public awareness and education. The department of health and human services should roll out health programs to educate the American public about how they can live healthy lifestyles. The department should also create more health programs to assist the poor and vulnerable access to quality healthcare.

The impact of the environment

From the analysis of the patient's responses, it is evident that he has been impacted by both his social and physical environment. The client may be lacking his family's support and motivation to live a more healthy life. He could also be living in an area where it is hard to access organic food and fruits, forcing him to eat greasy foods and sweetened beverages which unfortunately is more cost effective.

Considering the argument provided, it is evident that the patient requires qualified medical professionals to manage his condition. Some of the interventions that could be applied by physicians include the use of vasodilators and GSC stimulators. The application of the interventions discussed can help the patient better manage his condition and live a longer life.

References

Neumann, P. J., Farquhar, M., Wilkinson, C. L., Lowry, M., & Gold, M. (2016). Lack of cost-effectiveness analyses to address healthy people 2020 priority areas. American Journal of Public Health, 106(12), 2205-2207. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2016.303361

Parkinson, J., Dubelaar, C., Carins, J., Holden, S., Newton, F., & Pescud, M. (2017). Approaching the wicked problem of obesity: an introduction to the food system compass. Journal of Social Marketing, 7(4), 387-404. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSOCM-03-2017-0021

Sunshine, J., Dwyer-Lindgren, L., Chen, A., & Mokdad, A. H. (2017). Seat-belt use in US counties: Limited progress toward healthy people 2020 objectives. Health Affairs, 36(4), 636-639. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2016.1345

Zhang, H., Huang, W., Liu, H., Zheng, Y., & Liao, L. (2020). Mechanical stretching of pulmonary vein stimulates matrix metalloproteinase-9 and transforming growth factor-β1 through stretch-activated channel/MAPK pathways in pulmonary hypertension due to left heart disease model rats. PLoS One, 15(9)http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0235824