Assessment Task Two
Case Study
Question 1
Mr. Harding has a number of ‘pre-morbid’ chronic conditions that may be impacting on his admission and the care you will need to provide. Choose two (2) of Mr. Harding’s chronic diseases, explain the pathophysiology. What organs are affected by each disorder? (20 marks/10 per disorder)
Asthma
Asthma is a chronic syndrome related to the inflamed airways of the lungs (Rogers 2010). This is due to the constriction of the airways from an exaggerated response to triggers that lead to “episodes of wheezing, chest tightness, dyspnea and coughing” (Rogers 2010). Asthma can start at any age. Atopic asthma, in most cases starts in childhood, and is often related to an inherited predisposition to identifiable …show more content…
Explain why the signs and symptoms occur (link back to the pathophysiology discussed in your previous answer). (10 Marks/5 per disorder)
Asthma: Signs and Symptoms
The signs and symptoms of an asthmatic patient can differ from another patient. They can occur frequently and become more severe over time. The most common signs and symptoms are:
- Coughing which can become worse during the night time and during times of exercise (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute 2014)
- Wheezing
- Dyspnoea: patients describe this as either feeling out of breath or not being able to release air from the lungs (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute 2014)
- Chest tightness/pain
When a substance is inhaled by a patient who is hypersensitive to it, IgE antibodies cause mast cells in the pulmonary interstitium to release both histamine and the slow reacting substance of anaphylaxis (SRS-A) (Fuchs 2013). During this phase, no signs and substances are detected until the next stage.
When Histamine binds to the receptor sites of the larger bronchi, it results in swelling and inflammation of the smooth muscle, irritation and swelling of the mucous membranes (Fuchs 2013). This is what results in the symptoms of dyspnoea, prolonged expiration and an increase in the respiratory
Case Study
Question 1
Mr. Harding has a number of ‘pre-morbid’ chronic conditions that may be impacting on his admission and the care you will need to provide. Choose two (2) of Mr. Harding’s chronic diseases, explain the pathophysiology. What organs are affected by each disorder? (20 marks/10 per disorder)
Asthma
Asthma is a chronic syndrome related to the inflamed airways of the lungs (Rogers 2010). This is due to the constriction of the airways from an exaggerated response to triggers that lead to “episodes of wheezing, chest tightness, dyspnea and coughing” (Rogers 2010). Asthma can start at any age. Atopic asthma, in most cases starts in childhood, and is often related to an inherited predisposition to identifiable …show more content…
Explain why the signs and symptoms occur (link back to the pathophysiology discussed in your previous answer). (10 Marks/5 per disorder)
Asthma: Signs and Symptoms
The signs and symptoms of an asthmatic patient can differ from another patient. They can occur frequently and become more severe over time. The most common signs and symptoms are:
- Coughing which can become worse during the night time and during times of exercise (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute 2014)
- Wheezing
- Dyspnoea: patients describe this as either feeling out of breath or not being able to release air from the lungs (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute 2014)
- Chest tightness/pain
When a substance is inhaled by a patient who is hypersensitive to it, IgE antibodies cause mast cells in the pulmonary interstitium to release both histamine and the slow reacting substance of anaphylaxis (SRS-A) (Fuchs 2013). During this phase, no signs and substances are detected until the next stage.
When Histamine binds to the receptor sites of the larger bronchi, it results in swelling and inflammation of the smooth muscle, irritation and swelling of the mucous membranes (Fuchs 2013). This is what results in the symptoms of dyspnoea, prolonged expiration and an increase in the respiratory