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Unit 14 - Physiological Disorders and their Care STROKE AND ASTHMA - DISTINCTION ACHIEVED
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Physiological Disorders and their CareUnit 14 - Task 1
STROKE and ASTHMA
This Assignment will focus on two physiological disorders, Asthma and a Stroke.
Asthma is a disorder of the respiratory system, a stroke is a disorder of the
cardiovascular system. I will explore the causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment
and impacts of each disorder.
By Olivia Davies
, - P1 ASTHMA - Explain the causes, signs and symptoms of different
types of physiological disorder on service users
- Asthma
Asthma is a condition affecting the lungs by affecting the airways in which air enters
and leaves the lungs. It is a chronic disease and currently affects around 5.4 million
individuals in the UK. It can range from mild asthma to severe. Some children can
experience mild asthma in their childhood however, by the age of 18 they have
‘grown out of it’. Asthma is a disease that cannot be cured but with the right
treatment it can be effectively managed. When not managed correctly, life
threatening complications can occur and death is possible. Asthma can have a huge
impact on an individuals life, it can affect their physical health, mental health,
wellbeing and social lives. Individuals may experience mental health issues such as
anxiety - this could be due to fear of another asthma attack occurring. They may also
be embarrassed if/when an attack occurs in public.
- Causes and Risk Factors
Asthma is caused by the swelling (inflammation) of the tubes that carry air in and out
of the lungs. When these tubes are inflamed, the passageways in which allow air into
the lungs narrow which limits the amount of air that can be taken into the lungs at
one time. The actual capacity of the lungs is not affected, just the ability to fill the
lungs effectively. Asthma can be inherited, a study conducted by the Global Allergy
and Airways Patient Platform found that if one parent has asthma, there is a 25%
chance that their child would too, if both parents have asthma, the risk is there is a
50% chance the child may have asthma. The study concluded that asthma is more
likely to occur in people who have a close relative with a genetic link with the
condition.
Although asthma can have a genetic link, environmental factors also play a huge
part in the development of the disorder. Another cause of Asthma is through
exposure to substances at work, Occupational Asthma is asthma caused by things
in the workplace, such as chemical fumes, wood or flour dust. This is a common
cause of Adult Onset Asthma. External factors such as living in an area with a lot of
air pollution, an area where there is a lot of pollen (particularly during the summer) ,
dust, animal fur or bad living conditions (Such as damp on the walls or having cold,
unheated housing) can also cause a form of asthma called Allergic Asthma.
Lifestyle factors also contribute to the risk of development of asthma, being obese
(having a very high BMI) can increase the risk of asthma, excess fat tissue produces
inflamotory substance that are known to affect the lungs. Beth A. Miller conducted
research into the links between obesity and asthma. She found that nearly 39% of all
adults with Asthma are obese compared to 27% without asthma. Along with obesity
being a risk factor for an individual developing asthma. Individuals with asthma and
who are obese are more at risk of having severe and life threatening asthma attacks,
more frequently than those who are not obese. Smoking is another lifestyle choice
,that can increase an individual's risk of developing asthma, this is because cigarettes
contain unhealthy chemicals and substances that irritate the airways, causing
asthma attacks.
- Signs and Symptoms of Asthma
Asthma can range from mild to severe, some people may not experience symptoms
at all (asymptomatic) until they face a trigger. An asthma trigger is defined as
‘anything that brings on coughing, wheezing, trouble breathing and other symptoms’
Some common asthma triggers are smoke, cold air, allergic reactions, dust and
pollen allergies, colds/illness and exercise. A sign is something objective and
observable that can be identified by another person. Signs of asthma include:
● Wheezing
● Coughing (worse at night)
● Throat clearing
● Low oxygen saturation levels
● Trouble talking
● Taking more frequent, short breaths
Symptoms are occurrences that cannot be measured, they are subjective to the
person who is experiencing them. Every individual with Asthma will experience
symptoms differently and to different severities. Some common symptoms include:
● Having a tight chest (feeling a band around the chest)
● Fatigue
● Anxiety
● Chest pain
● Difficulty Sleeping
An individual may experience shortness of breath due to the narrowing of the
bronchi, this could be due to inflammation but also due to a buildup of mucus or fluid.
A buildup of mucus in the passageways air is passed through causing an individual a
difficulty in breathing in and breathing out. This causes the sensation of shortness of
breath. This can also cause the sign of coughing. Coughing is a way in which the
body clears the lungs and bronchus of mucus. The reason coughing increases at
night is due to when the individual with asthma is lying down, mucus and fluid can
settle in the lungs and airway which need to be coughed out. The blockage of
airways is also why wheezing occurs.
Panic attacks are another symptom of Asthma, an individual may have had bad and
traumatic experiences with asthma attacks and so whenever they feel that they
might be experiencing signs, they can begin to panic and end up manifesting the
symptoms they do not want. For example, they may start breathing quicker, this can
turn into hyperventilation and then a difficulty to breath.
, - P1 STROKE - Explain the causes, signs and symptoms of different types
of physiological disorder on service users
A stroke is a physiological/neurological disorder that affects the circulatory system
and the cardiovascular system - the brain. A stroke is caused when the blood flow to
the brain is interrupted, blocked or stopped completely. This can occur through a
blockage or an artery bursting. A stroke can affect any part of the brain and
depending on which area of the brain is affected will influence the symptoms an
individual will have. The left side of the brain controls the right side of the body and
vice versa, so if a stroke occurs in the left side of the brain, the right side of the body
is affected.
There are 5 types of stroke, these are an ischemic stroke, hemorrhagic stroke,
transient ischemic attack (mini stroke) , brain stem stroke and a cryptogenic stroke
(stroke of unknown cause) Although there are 5 types of stroke, the two main types
are Ischemic Stroke and Hemorrhagic Stroke. Most strokes that occur are ischemic
strokes.
- Hemorrhagic stroke
Caused when an artery in the brain leaks or ruptures. THe blood that leaks out puts
a large amount of pressure on brain cells which damages them. Some causes of a
hemorrhagic stroke include high blood pressure and aneurysms.
- Ischemic stroke
Caused when blood clots or other solid particles block vessels and arteries in the
brain. This disrupts the blood flow and causes the brain to be starved of oxygen. This
causes brain cells to die. Fatty deposits, called plaque, can also cause strokes as
they cause blockages by building up in blood vessels.
- Causes and risk factors
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is the main cause of a stroke.
When an individual has high blood pressure, the arteries and veins stretch to
accommodate the pressure of blood being pumped around the body. However, when
the pressure is too great, or the arteries or veins stretch too far they can burst or
rupture. This is what causes a stroke. When they rupture, blood cannot flow to the
brain properly, in some cases, the leaking blood, or the sheer pressure of the blood
pumping damaging the artery wall, forms a blood clot. When this happens, the blood
clot can travel through the arteries, to the brain and lead to blockages and strokes.
Age is another risk factor, a stroke can occur at any age but the risk increases as an
individual ages. This is because as an individual gets older, the tissue in the vein and
artery walls lose their elasticity, this causes stiffness in the veins and arteries which
leads them to be more likely to rupture and burst therefore increasing the risk of a
stroke. Lifestyle choices such as smoking are also a known cause of stroke, when
an individual smokes, the walls of their arteries are damaged and become rough,
instead of smooth. This is due to the substances or Nicotine and Carbon
mono-oxide. The substances and their damage to the lungs contribute to high blood
pressure. Nicotine intake is a risk factor for a stroke, as nicotine narrows blood
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