Unit 14 – Physiological Disorders and Care
LAC: Examine treatment and support for service
users with physiological disorders
Date: 12/03/2024
Content:
Page 2 - 4: C.P3 - Explain the treatment and support available for service users with
different physiological disorders
Page 5 - 6: C.P4 - Compare the types of carers and care settings for service users with
different physiological disorders
Page 7 - 8: C.M3 - Assess the provision of treatment, support and types of care for service
users with different physiological disorders
Page 9 - 11: Bibliography
, P3 – Explain the treatment and support available for
service users with different physiological disorders
Introduction:
Any service user with a diagnosis for any condition will have a conversation with their doctor
called an initial assessment. In this meeting, their future needs are discussed as well as having
all their questions answered. The doctor also talks to them about the prognosis of their
condition. For example, Cirrhosis is a condition that is reversible in its early stages if
treatment is strictly followed however, in the later stages, the condition is irreversible, and
treatment can only prolong their life and lessen their symptoms. Iron deficiency anaemia is
curable depending on the cause. The meeting also entails the treatment and support available
to them. Additionally, all the questions they and their family have are answered.
Case Study 1: Iron Deficiency Anaemia
There are many support services and treatment options to look at, including medication,
rehabilitation, complimentary therapy, advice on lifestyle changes, and, in the most severe
cases, surgery. The main treatment options for iron deficiency include iron supplements,
intravenous iron, and change in diet.
Iron supplements are the most common type of treatment for those diagnosed iron deficiency
anaemia with the dosage being decided based on the service user’s doctor’s recommendation.
Most people are prescribed with 200mg tablets. The doctor may ask the service user to take
several tablets a day, the most being 3 tablets a day. There are a variety of side effects from
this medication including black stool, heartburn, diarrhoea, vomiting, constipation and
nausea. The medication helps the service user to raise their iron levels and make up for the
lack of iron in their body, resulting in their symptoms being alleviated after around a week of
being on the medication. The doctor will ask the service user to take a blood test after some
time to ensure that the treatment is working for the service user. (K.Mitchell and J.Begum,
2024)
The doctor may also provide advice on the service user’s diet and ask them to incorporate
more iron in their diet. These foods include:
- Beef, pork, liver, chicken, turkey, duck, and shellfish
- Leafy greens (broccoli, kale, turnip greens, and collard greens)
- Peas, lima beans, black-eyed peas, and pinto beans
- Iron-enriched cereal and other grains
- Dried fruits, such as prunes and raisins
These foods benefit the service user by raising their iron level naturally through healthy
foods, which also benefits them in that they start to build a habit of eating foods that are rich
in minerals and nutrients regularly. (K.Mitchell and J.Begum, 2024)
One other treatment recommended for more severe case of iron deficiency anaemia is a
transfusion. The individual may be suffering from too little oxygenated blood, leading to fatal
anaemia. The doctor would solve this by ordering a transfusion for red blood cells for the
individual. The transfusion would allow the individual to have enough oxygenated blood in
