Describe the healing process of a grade 3 decubitus ulcer. Discuss how aging may affect the process of healing. Decubitus ulcers are also known as pressure sores or bedsores, and can be difficult to define. The most accurate definition of a decubitus ulcer is the “breakdown of skin, usually over a bony prominence, due to compromised blood flow caused by pressure” (National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel, 1989). Decubitus ulcers are a common condition affecting the elderly as aging, the process of getting old, causes the skin to change dramatically (Landi et al, 2007).
The secondary cause is related to an existing infection or disease. Each of these are caused by different irritants that result in the same disruption of normal perfusion. The attacks on the lung lead to alveolar inflammation and edema that causes low ventilation and blood and fluid to be pushed into the capillaries. This leads to a stasis in the lung’s gas perfusion and creates a pressure that makes it harder for the individual to breath (Anatomical Chart Company, 2010, p. 100). The first signs and symptoms of any infection should immediately be put to the attention of the health care provider.
MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS: Pneumonia: Pneumonia is an infection in one or both lungs. The infection may be caused by fungi, bacteria, or viruses. Pneumonia causes inflammation in your lungs air sacs, also referred to as alveoli. The alveoli fill with fluid or pus, making it difficult to breathe. The invading organism causes symptoms, in part, by provoking a large immune response in the lungs.
Stroke Awareness Health Assessment The self-risk assessment I chose to complete was about strokes. A stroke occurs when blood supply to the brain is temporarily interrupted or disturbed. Being that the brain requires a constant flow of oxygen any interruptions could prove to be fatal. The two types of strokes are Ischemic or hemorrhagic. An ischemic stroke is typically caused by excess buildup of plague on the blood vessel walls that narrows blood flow dramatically.
Cari’s lung compliance would increase from trying to force gases in and out of the alveoli that are filled with fluid. 6. How would fluid in Cari’s lungs affect her total lung capacity? The fluid in Cari’s lungs would lower her total lung capacity, by not allowing the space that is taken up by fluid, to be filled with air. 7.
1) Coronary artery disease occurs when fatty deposits called plaque build up inside the coronary arteries. The coronary arteries wrap around the heart and supply it with blood and oxygen. When plaque builds up, it narrows the arteries and reduces the amount of blood that gets to your heart. This can lead to serious problems, including heart attack. 2) Coronary artery disease is usually caused by a build-up of fatty deposits on the walls of the coronary arteries.
It could be chronic and is caused by the narrowing of the coronary artery and limitation of blood supply to part of the muscle. It also could be acute, which is the result from plaque suddenly rupturing. The inner wall of an artery is damaged. Some fatty deposits or plaques made up of cholesterol and other cellular waste products will accumulate at a site of injury in a process called atherosclerosis, the hardening of arteries. If the surface of the plaques break or rupture, blood cells, called platelets will clump or clot at that site to try and repair the artery.
Although heart disease has decreased by 30 percent over the last few decades, it is still an ailment that affects over 14 million Americans and the leading cause of death according to the CDC. While there are different forms of heart disease, its single most common cause is coronary heart disease. Coronary heart disease (CHD) develops when the coronary arteries responsible for delivering oxygen and nutrients to the heart muscle (myocardium) become blocked due to atherosclerosis, a build-up of deposits containing a combination of fatty material, calcium, and scar tissue called plaques (atheromata). The deposits primarily occur on coronary arteries on the outer surface of the heart (epicardial). Thus, the major risk factors for CHD are the same as those for atherosclerosis—namely, high levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) in the blood plasma, low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), cigarette smoking, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus.
When the fats lays in the blood vessels, it increases the size and cause a blockage in the artery which can make a person get low breathing and chest pain. Nervous system Nerves cells communicate with muscle to function properly. In older age neurotransmitters which are released by the nerve cell get weaker to communicate with muscle and function less effectively. Degeneration of the sense organs Sight: - cataracts and glaucoma affect eyesight in older people for the age of 60 upwards. When we get old our lenses changes and become hard and cloudy and it gets stop by cataracts from changing shape or transmit light.
A wound is a disorder in the normal anatomical structure and function of living tissue which may be caused by physical, chemical, microbiological or immunological injury. Globally wounds also represent a significant burden on the patients and health care professionals or givers. Wound infection is also significant in that they are the most common nosocomial infection (Orrett, 2002) . Infection of the wound is the successful invasion, and proliferation by one or more organisms anywhere within the body’s sterile tissues and sometimes accompanied with pus formation (Calvin, 1998).Wound infection may result to prolong hospital stay, delay wound healing, increases cost of health care and morbidity in surgical patients (Orrett, 2002).. Wound infection with multiple organisms may even result to multiple organ failure or death of the patient when it becomes chronic.