Pathophysiology in Nursing: A Brief Review
Conversely, nurses serve as the initial point of interaction for majority patients arriving at a hospital. If the individual’s health situation permits them to talk, the primary action of nurses is to gather their information. Managing accurate documentation of a patient’s background history and evident signs is one of a nurse’s most significant responsibilities.
Moreover, they acquire information through professional training in patient examination and monitoring. Besides, identifying a suitable approach to medication becomes problematic in spite of an accurate evaluation of the patient’s condition. In addition to a patient’s health and safety, insufficient diagnosis can waste precious time and resources.
Aside from the risk, nurses apply pathophysiology studies to offer precise evaluation. Typically, in nursing, what is the meaning of pathophysiology? Basically, it is a fundamental strategy applied by nurses to determine both immediate and persistent patient diseases; it also highlights numerous topics in nursing programs.
Pathophysiology: An Overview
Eventually, two major fields of science are combined together to form pathophysiology. Pathology is the field of science that focuses on the origins as well as consequences of sickness and damages. Apart from that, the branch of science that deals with the system of the human’s body and numerous functions like respiration and ingestion is termed physiology.
Consequently, the field of pathophysiology analyzes the primary cause of sickness, injuries, and other health issues as well as how they affect an individual, also considering their functional and structural modification. Besides, it contains the following four interlinked variables:
Pathogenesis: The mechanism or mode of an illness’s growth and development.
Etiology is the study of how infections and other health problems are formed.
Clinical indication: the visible manifestations and warning signs of an illness.
Medication impact: The recommendation that a particular plan of action may be beneficial in the light of etiology, pathophysiology, and possible clinical consequences.
A detailed knowledge of pathophysiology and its variable components allows nurses to precisely recognize the cause and development of an injury or illness in a patient. Usually, nurses can accurately evaluate patients by the application of pathophysiology, resulting in adequate treatment and enhanced results.
Pathophysiology: Examples
- Mellitus Diabetes
- Diabetes (Type-1): In general, the system of immunity destroys or eliminates insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. Although the cell fails to effectively absorb glucose, this leads to a lack of insulin, which increases hyperglycemia.
- Diabetes (Type-2): A critical disease in which cells fail to respond to insulin, as well as insufficient relative insulin, are defining attributes of type 2 diabetes. Therefore, with the passage of time, this affects the cell’s capacity to absorb glucose, which increases blood glucose level.
- Breathing Problems: Asthma
- Pathophysiology: Specifically, it includes persistent lung inflammation, elevated production of mucus, hypersensitive respiratory tract, and bronchoconstriction. Hence this leads to a sporadic period of coughing, weeping, and dyspnea.
As a result, inflammation leads to thickening construction of the respiratory tract; consequently, breathing becomes more difficult.
- Congestive heart failure
- Left Side Heart Failure: Subsequently, pulmonary congestion happened due to the left ventricle’s inability to circulate blood accurately. Thus, dyspnea and edema in the lungs are two possible indications.
- Right Side Heart Failure: Usually carried by severe pulmonary disease or left side heart failure, this medical condition triggers the extremities of the body to fill with fluid, resulting in fluid retention in the abdomen and lower extremities.
- Tumors
- General Pathophysiology: The irregular division and expansion of cells caused by genetic modification is an identifiable characteristic of cancer. Besides, these malignant cells have the ability to spread other parts through surrounding affected tissues and interrupt the regular functioning of tissues.
- High Blood Pressure: Hypertension
- Primary hypertension: generally related to hereditary characteristics, inadequate nutrition, laziness, and prolonged anxiety. As usual, it is highlighted by elevated arterial system resistance, resulting in increased pressure against the blood vessels. With the passage of time, this may lead to affecting organs and arteries.
- Secondary Hypertension: Produced by another medical illness, especially hormone imbalances and persistent renal failure. For instance, in the adrenal gland, high production of aldosterone results in elevated blood pressure and salt retention.
