Hazards of Immobility on the Cardiovascular Function

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Hazards of Immobility on Cardiovascular Function Nicole Edwards NU 110 Dorthy Barnett Abstract Many body functions become compromised when faced with immobility. The article from American Journal of Nursing 1967 shows the hazards if immobility on each system. The cardiovascular system is a complex example of a system, which spirals quickly downward when faced with immobility. The current research from Western Journal of Medicine shows similar hazards to those found in earlier studies. Immobility influences many systems of the body. It affects cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, motor, urinary, metabolic and psychological functions. Therefore, when part of the body does not work, it affects it as a whole. Importance of any one system over another usually falls short however, without the cardiovascular system, the body will shut down more rapidly than any other system. The heart, blood, arteries, venous channels, and lymph vessels compose the cardiovascular system. The cardiovascular system’s main job takes blood from the heart, pumps it past the lungs, and then out to the rest of the body, and returns to the heart, so nutrients and oxygen needed by the individual is delivered and carbon dioxide eliminated. A fine homeostatic environment is required to allow body functions and eliminate immobility disturbances. According to the American Journal of Nursing 1967, three major changes occur to the cardiovascular system when influenced by immobility. Orthostatic hypertension, increased workload, and thrombus formation contend as the three main players in the loss of cardiac function. (American Journal of Nursing, 1967, p. 781-782) “Like other muscles, the heart undergoes disuse atrophy when patients become inactive” (Corcoran, 1991 p. 537). Due to this issue, complications arise. Both articles state after three weeks, the poor effects on the
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