*you can choose whichever case study you feel most comfortable with.*
Select one of the case studies below for your
assignment. In your discussion, be sure to apply
knowledge of the physiologic alterations in bodily systems in response to
disease processes
Case Study Assignment Requirements
1.
Make sure all of the topics in the
case study have been addressed.
2.
Cite at least three references in your
case study paper; this may include peer-reviewed journal articles, textbooks,
or evidence-based practice websites to support the content.
3.
All reference sources must be within 5
years.
4.
Do not use sources such as Wikipedia
or UpToDate as a reference.
5.
Assignments must have at least four
full pages of analytic content, double-spaced (the cover and reference pages do
not count in the page count, but must be included with the assignment), and
follow APA 7th edition format.
Case Study 1: Disorders of Hemostasis
Leona is 52 years old and smokes. She is also
overweight and has atherosclerosis. When she was given a 2-week vacation from
work, she packed up her bags and flew from Minnesota to Sydney, Australia, for
the trip she always wanted to take. Unfortunately, just 3 days after she
arrived, she was hospitalized when her left calf became inflamed, causing her
considerable pain. The physician attending to her told her she developed a deep
vein thrombosis.
1.
Explain, using your knowledge of
hypercoagulability, why the trip to Australia contributed to Leona’s DVT? Why
was Leona already at risk for thrombus development?
2.
How does Leona’s atherosclerosis
affect platelet function? Conversely, what is the effect of increased platelet
activity on the development of atherosclerosis?
3.
How do atherosclerosis and immobility
promote changes in blood coagulation?
4.
When Leona was in hospital, she
received heparin therapy. Explain why this course of action was taken to treat
her DVT. Why was she not given heparin tablets to take back to the hotel with
her?
Case Study 2: Disorders of Red Blood Cells
Henry is 77 years old and lives with his daughter and
son-in-law. He has chronic renal failure but likes to get out whenever he can
work in his daughter’s backyard garden. Over the last few months, he began to
go outside less often. He said that he was feeling unusually tired and he was
running out of breath doing the simplest of tasks. He also said that his head
ached, and he often felt dizzy. His daughter took him to his doctor who
performed a complete physical examination and diagnosed Henry with anemia.
1.
From what you know of Henry’s history,
what type of anemia do you suspect he has? How would Henry’s red blood cells
appear on a peripheral blood smear?
2.
What is the physiologic basis that
would explain why Henry’s anemia would cause him to have the symptoms he is
experiencing?
3.
Predict the cellular adaptations
erythrocytes undergo when chronic hypoxia is present. How would this be evident
on an oxygen-hemoglobin dissociation curve?
Case Study 3: Structure and Function of the
Cardiovascular System
Bertha is 81 years old, and was admitted to the
hospital after contracting community-acquired pneumonia. She had been bedridden
for 3 days, so her nurse arranged for a physiotherapist to assist her out of
bed to help her slowly regain her mobility. Bertha decided not to wait for the
physiotherapist, and after arising in the morning, she eased herself out of the
bed and stood up. Suddenly, Bertha’s vision dimmed, and she felt light-headed
and dizzy. A passing nurse saw her fall back to the bed and rushed to help her.
The nurse comforted Bertha, and then suspecting orthostatic hypotension, went
to find a sphygmomanometer to check her blood pressure.
1.
Prolonged bed rest decreases plasma
levels and vasomotor tone, which can both lead to orthostatic hypotension. How
do changes in vascular resistance and radius affect blood flow? Assuming Bertha
is otherwise healthy, how does her heart activity change to compensate for the
orthostatic hypotension she experienced?
2.
Considering the venous circulation,
how is blood from the lower extremities returned to the heart?
3.
Why did Bertha’s capillary fluid
pressure (or hydrostatic pressure) change when she moved from a lying to
standing position?
Case Study 4: Disorders of Blood Flow and Blood
Pressure Regulation
Deborah is 56 years old, smokes a half a pack of
cigarettes a day, and is overweight. Her friend wants her to come to a local
women’s fitness class she attends once a week. She knows Deborah’s dad had died
of an acute myocardial infarction when he was 56, and she fears, seeing
Deborah’s lifestyle, the same fate awaits her friend. What she did not know was
that Deborah had also been to her doctor for her annual physical where she was
told her LDLs were 180 mg/dL, HDLs were 36 mg/dL, and cholesterol was 239 mg/dL.
1.
What are Deborah’s known risk factors
for coronary heart disease?
2.
Deborah’s doctor referred her to a
dietician for strict dietary therapy, hoping the intervention would raise her
HDL and lower her LDL and cholesterol levels. Why is diet modification
necessary to control and moderate the lipids indicated?
3.
Deborah’s doctor also gave her
pamphlets describing strategies to stop smoking and a list of exercise ideas
she might want to try. How is smoking thought to contribute to atherosclerotic
plaque formation? Why would exercise have a positive effect on Deborah’s lipid
profile?
4.
Atherosclerosis is thought to be an
inflammatory disorder. What is the role of macrophages in the formation of
atherosclerotic plaques? What is the significance of elevated serum hs-CRP
levels in at-risk individuals?
Case Study 5: Disorders of Cardiac Conduction and
Rhythm
Jack, an apartment superintendent, grabbed a quick cup
of coffee and then put on his coat to shovel snow off the front sidewalk. He is
56 years old and has experienced two episodes of angina over the past 3 years.
This time when he was shoveling the snow, he felt palpitations in his chest. It
was as though his heart had stopped and then began to beat rapidly as if to
catch up. Afraid of what he was feeling, he went inside and called for an
ambulance. When the paramedics arrived, they took an ECG and told Jack he was
going to be fine. He was taken to hospital to be seen by an emergency physician
and was released later that afternoon.
1.
The ECG taken by the paramedics showed
Jack was experiencing premature ventricular contractions. In general terms, how
do PVCs appear on an ECG? What factors contributed to the onset of PVCs in
Jack’s situation?
2.
Describe the physiologic events in
PVC. How is cardiac output disrupted with the presence of PVCs?
3.
Because of Jack’s history, his PVCs
leave him at risk for events such as ventricular tachycardia or ventricular
fibrillation. Compare and contrast these two arrhythmias. Why are they
particularly dangerous?
Before finalizing your work, it is important to:
Review Case Study Assignment Requirements (described
above) and the Case Study Assignment Grading Rubric (under the Course
Resources), to ensure you have completed all required elements of the
assignment.
Make sure to review your chosen case study carefully
to make sure you have effectively answered all questions asked.
Utilize spelling and grammar checks to minimize
errors.
Follow the conventions of Standard American English
(correct grammar, punctuation, etc.).
Make sure your assignment is original, insightful, and
utilizes your logic and critical thinking skills; that your assignment is
well-organized, with superior content, style, and mechanics.
Utilize APA 7th Edition format.
Be diligent about APA formatting including
paraphrasing and direct quotations, utilizing appropriate in-text
citations, and referencing your sources.
