NURS 6501 Module 2 Assignment: Cardiopulmonary and Cardiovascular Physiologic Mechanisms Case Study Analysis

NURS 6501 Module 2 Assignment: Cardiopulmonary and Cardiovascular Physiologic Mechanisms Case Study Analysis

To prepare:

By Day 1 of this week, you will be assigned to a specific case study scenario for this Case Study Assignment. Please see the “Course Announcements” section of the classroom for your assignment from your Instructor.

Assignment (1- to 2-page case study analysis)

In your Case Study Analysis related to the scenario provided, explain the following:

The cardiovascular and cardiopulmonary pathophysiologic processes that result in the patient presenting these symptoms.
Any racial/ethnic variables that may impact physiological functioning.
How these processes interact to affect the patient.

NURS 6501 Module 2 Assignment: Cardiopulmonary and Cardiovascular Physiologic Mechanisms Case Study Analysis

Module 2 Assignment: Case Study Analysis – NURS 6501: Advanced Pathophysiology

The cardiopulmonary and cardiovascular physiologic mechanisms serve critical functions in the health of an individual (Ruiz-Garcia et al., 2021). The above systems are elementary in the oxygenation and supply of blood to the entire body. The provided case study involves an 11-year-old boy who presented to the hospital with the chief complaint of wheezing and breathing difficulties. The patient confirms that the wheezing and shortness of breath worsen during activity and occur even at rest. The boy is allergic to cat dander. Wheezes are noted on forced expiration throughout all lung fields on auscultation. The case study analysis focuses on the cardiopulmonary and cardiovascular pathophysiological mechanisms that contribute to the listed symptoms, ethnic/racial factors that may influence physiological functioning, and how the above processes interact to affect the patient.

Cardiovascular and Cardiopulmonary Pathophysiologic Processes

As outlined previously, the 11-year-old patient presents with wheezing and shortness of breath when playing, and the indications tend to cease when he ceases playing. The above indications are suggestive of the activity or exercise-induced asthma, the contraction of the pulmonary airways due to vigorous exercise thereby causing the noted wheezing and shortness of breath, which lessens when the child stops engaging in the strenuous game. When the boy plays, the cold and dry air inhaled through the mouth triggers the muscle bands lining the airways to be hyperreactive, resulting in bronchoconstriction (Aggarwal et al., 2018). The narrowing of the airways causes the boy to develop wheezing and shortness of breath as the heart lacks adequate energy to pump blood.

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In line with the osmotic theory, mucosal cell dehydration due to increased ventilation during play prompts the release of inflammatory mediators, like histamine and mast cell degranulation (Bush, 2019). The mast cell-mediated release of signaling molecules stimulates elevated production of mucus and contraction of smooth muscles along the airway, as well as sensory nerve activation and microvascular permeability, all of which trigger airway edema and bronchoconstriction (Aggarwal et al., 2018). Besides, the boy is allergic to cat dander, which directly provokes vascular, neuronal, and inflammatory changes that eventually contribute to bronchoconstriction and indications of wheezing and dyspnea.

The Interaction of Cardiovascular and Cardiopulmonary Pathophysiologic Processes

There is a close relationship between cardiopulmonary and cardiovascular pathophysiologic processes that result in adverse consequences for the 11-year-old patient. In healthy individuals, inhalation engenders a slight negative pressure in the lungs causing a subtle transient dip in systolic blood pressure due to the decline in the blood volume exiting the left ventricle. For the 11-year-old boy, the shortness of breath due to the underlying asthmatic condition causes an extreme drop in air pressure in the lungs during inhalation, which, in turn, translates into a significant fall in systolic blood pressure indicated by a low heart rate (Bush, 2019). Thus, cardiopulmonary and cardiovascular systems interact seamlessly via the supply of nutrients, gases, and blood. The low supply of oxygen due to bronchoconstriction in the 11-year-old boy affected his lungs, and the resulting hypoxemia in capillaries causes wheezing during auscultation.

Impacts of Racial/Ethnic Variables on Physiological Functioning

Racial and/or ethnic factors substantially influence the physiological functioning of cardiopulmonary and cardiovascular systems. As outlined previously, diminished airway flows are trademark symptoms of asthma and are valuable in evaluating airway remodeling and the severity of the disease (Zhang et al., 2018). It is exacerbated by predominant environmental exposures, such as air pollution, tobacco smoke, and pet allergens, leading to decreased lung function. Pests and mold are commonly observed in poor housing conditions occupied primarily by people from low socioeconomic status, mainly African Americans and Latinos (Zhang et al., 2018). The above socio-environmental factors differ by ethnicity and race, and such social differences partly contribute to the unequal severity of asthma among Caucasians and people from minority races (Sullivan & Thakur, 2020).

References

Aggarwal, B., Mulgirigama, A., & Berend, N. (2018). Exercise-induced bronchoconstriction: prevalence, pathophysiology, patient impact, diagnosis, and management. Npj Primary Care Respiratory Medicine, 28(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41533-018-0098-2

Bush, A. (2019). Pathophysiological mechanisms of asthma. Frontiers in Pediatrics, 7(MAR), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.3389/fped.2019.00068

Ruiz-Garcia, M., Bartra, J., Alvarez, O., Lakhani, A., Patel, S., Tang, A., Sim, M., Shamji, M. H., Skypala, I., Mills, E. N. C., Lyon, A. R., Hayward, C., Durham, S. R., Turner, P. J., & Boyle, R. J. (2021). Cardiovascular changes during peanut-induced allergic reactions in human subjects. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 147(2), 633–642. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaci.2020.06.033

Sullivan, K., & Thakur, N. (2020). Structural and social determinants of health in asthma in developed economies: A scoping review of literature published between 2014 and 2019. Current Allergy and Asthma Reports, 20(2). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11882-020-0899-6

Zhang, Y., McConnell, R., Gilliland, F., & Berhane, K. (2018). Ethnic differences in the effect of asthma on pulmonary function in children. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 183(5), 596–603. https://doi.org/10.1164/rccm.200912-1863OC