Application of Pathophysiology - Nursing Assignments/ Essays/Case Study

Hi all,

I am a registered nurse. I guide/ tutor nursing students for their Nursing Assignments/ Essays/ Case studies/ Thesis etc. in Melbourne, Perth, Sydney, Adelaide

I am putting here one of my work.

Criterion 1: Application of pathophysiology of the patient’s condition to the case study

Chronic heart failure is defined as a clinical syndrome that is characterised by typical

symptoms such as shortness of breath, pedal oedema and fatigue which can also be

accompanied by complex signs such as elevated jugular venous pressure, peripheral oedema

and pulmonary crackles. It is caused due to structural or functional cardiac abnormality leading to deficit in cardiac output and increased intracardiac pressure at the time of rest or during stress (Aimo et al., 2020).

Explaining pathophysiology, the heart has been labelled as a pump and using coordinated muscle activity supplies oxygenated blood to organs and tissues of the body. In order to provide oxygenated blood and function appropriately, the cardiac muscles must undergo adequate relaxation to allow complete filling of blood during the period of diastole (Arrigo et al., 2016). Similarly, it is expected for the cardiac muscles to have coordinated contraction during systole. However, in heart failure, the cardiac muscles but unable to pump sufficient blood to meet needs of the body. The most common causes include history of myocardial infarction, cardiac dysrhythmias, structural problems in heart valves/valvular disorders (Gabriel-Costa, 2018).

Due to reduced cardiac output in heart failure, two most important regulatory compensatory mechanism is activated; sympathetic compensatory mechanism and Renin- angiotensin-aldosterone (RAAS) compensatory mechanism. Due to reduced cardiac output from heart failure, there is carotid baroreceptor response which increases activity of sympathetic nervous system (Hartupee & Mann, 2017). This results in increased heart rate and positive effect on myocardial contraction. It leads to be so constriction and increased blood pressure (Arrigo et al., 2016).