Nursing Problems and Interventions of Diabetes - Essay Example

? Nursing Problems and Interventions: Diabetes & Nursing Problems and Interventions: Diabetes Diabetes is typically a chronic disease, which is presented by lack of enough insulin in the body. This may be as a result of the destruction of the beta cells in the pancreas. In some cases, individuals with diabetes are categorized in the type one. However, type two diabetes is a chronic condition in which a patient’s body is not able to control sugar in the form of glucose in the blood. Glucose is usually required in the body of a normal human being, for energy production (Ackley 2006). Too much glucose is however detrimental to the body. These levels of glucose are generally controlled by the insulin, characteristically produced by the beta cells. With this illness, a person has insufficient insulin. However, the person may not be in a better position to use the insulin that is produced. Type two insulin is the most common type, with an average of ninety percent of individuals globally (Brown 2009). Mostly, it affects the islet cells of the pancreas that produce insulin. It is also known to affect all body cells that require insulin to convert food into the necessary chemicals in the body. It affects both sexes and mostly adults. Most people may not be aware that they have diabetes, because the signs and symptoms may not be available (Dickenson 2004). However, the signs and symptoms that normally act include fatigue and thirst beyond the normal; general feeling of being ill; higher increase in appetite; a decrease in the healing of cuts and bruises; one’s vision becomes blurred; erectile dysfunction; and increased risk of other infections. Mostly, the pancreas secretes enough insulin, but for reasons yet to be known, the body develops resistance for insulin. This leads to glucose build up after several years due to insulin production decrease. Mostly, those in risk include those with a family history of diabetes. However, it increases with gestation, overweight, particularly fat in the abdomen, increased blood pressure, increased cholesterol in the blood, or increased levels of triglycerides. Studies have revealed that if one is not actively involved in a physical activity in one way or another, there is a higher risk of diabetes. If one is an African American, Native American, Pacific Islander or Asian America, one is at an increased risk of diabetes than other origins. To prevent this illness, numerous researches have particularly been carried out, to determine the appropriate interventions to be applied. However, patients have been advised to control their weight by exercising regularly. This is one nursing intervention that has been found to perform adequately well in most cases. These nurses also advise patients to feed on a healthy diet. This is because researches have shown that most of these cases results from unhealthy diets by these individuals (Dunning 2009). In addition, nurses continually urge these individuals to receive treatment that involves controlling the force of their blood and to minimize or check their high cholesterol levels. This is because, this high level of cholesterol might be the leading cause of their insulin failure to perform even at the sufficient production by the pancreas. Health care provides usually conduct a physical examination and raise several questions about the symptoms. Medical tests conducted include blood glucose and urine studies, and samples of the patient’s blood and urine being taken to the laboratory for testing. A glucose tolerance test may also be carried out. In most cases, a hemoglobin A1C may be done as a consequent follow up. This test has been found to measure glucose levels of up to two to three months. This type two is usually treated with complete lifestyle change, where a person is required to fully change the initial lifestyle. However, drug therapy is also conducted in conjunction with the lifestyle change (Eckman 2011). If the patient does not seek medical attention early, there are different outcomes that might arise, including type one diabetes; the heart and blood vessels might also be damaged; the kidney may suffer complications or become damaged in the process; low blood sugar may result; high blood sugar might also occur, or ketoacidosis which is the severe reaction. As a rationale in achieving outcomes in their interventions, nurses continually encourage people to understand the techniques of monitoring the amount of glucose in their body. In addition, the nurses encourage them to identify the symptoms of abnormal blood sugar, so that in case they encounter them, they can seek medical attention. Moreover, people are encouraged to take proper foot care and eye checkups; stop taking alcohol or smoking cigarettes; get medical care for any infection no matter how insignificant it may seem, and get sufficient information about diabetes. The most administered oral anti diabetic drugs frequently prescribed by doctors are cholesterol lowering drugs (Griffith 2006). On the other hand, left ventricular hypertrophy is the abnormal enlargement of the tissues of the muscles making up the walls of a heart’s left ventricle. It results as a result of sample factors including the high blood pressure, that may require the left ventricle to work extra harder in pumping the blood. Due to this overload, these walls may lose their elasticity and eventually fail to pump blood at the desired heart rate (James 1999). This ailment is particularly common with patients having high blood pressure or other ailments or problems of the heart. Normally, this disease develops gradually where like the case of diabetes; one may not experience any symptoms. This is especially or primarily, during the early stages of this ailment. As the hypertrophy develops, certain symptoms start developing, including regular shortness of breath; increased chest pains; rapid heartbeats or palpitations; unusual dizziness; fainting; and characteristic patterns of exhaustion, especially after a vigorous or slow physical activity (Joan 1998). It is advisable to visit a doctor after increased heart beats that lasts for more than a few minutes. Moreover, cases of breathing in difficulty should be derived to the doctor immediately. Also, in cases of mild palpitations or other symptoms, one should seek medical attention immediately. Some of the factors that may cause this include high blood pressure. This is mostly the common condition causing this hypertrophy; narrowing of the aortic valve often referred to as aortic valve stenosis. This is the flap separating this left ventricle mostly from aorta. Research shows that aorta particularly, is the largest blood vessel usually delivering oxygen rich blood to the body. This obstruction often leads the left ventricle to pump the blood at an extremely higher rate than usual; hypertrophic cardiomyopathy where the myocardium becomes unusually thick. This often makes it harder for the heart to pump the blood at the usual rate (Porth 2011). Moreover, athletic training may be also a risk factor contributing to this ailment. Intense training often causes the heart to adapt to pumping blood at an increased rate. However, some people often develop ventricular hypertrophy from this .Other medical conditions are also known to cause this ailment (Susan 2007). Some muscular dystrophy is often associated with heart changes, which cause the left ventricular hypertrophy. Obesity is also known to cause this ailment, especially with a lot of fat around the heart region. Left ventricular hypertrophy causes the muscle to lose elasticity due to their enlargement. They become extremely stiff, preventing the chambers from filling, properly leading the heart to experience increased pressure. These muscles may restrict the amount of blood to supply to the body, and it is usually weak due to work overload. As a result, the heart may be unable to pump sufficient blood to the body, causing it to experience heart failure; it may also experience abnormality in its rhythm; it may also lead to insufficient oxygen supply to the heart and other body organs, including the brain; it may cause heart attack due to insufficient supply of blood to the heart, and all in all, it may result to cardiac arrest (Brown 2009). In their interventions, nurses continually encourage individuals to carry out healthy diets and check in their family backgrounds, in case of family history of this disease. Some of the interventions carried out include screening tests for this disease. They include electrocardiogram, which records electrical signals through the heart to sense for any abnormality; and echocardiogram, which is the use of sound waves to come up with images of the heart in action. This enables the ventricles to be monitored on how they are working to sense any abnormality. In addition, doctors carry out magnetic resonance imaging that uses a magnetic field and some radio waves to create images of the soft tissues in the body (Eckman 2011). In treatment, these interventions are put into consideration. First and most importantly, high blood pressure is monitored and treated. This is because HP is the main cause of the left ventricular hypertrophy. In addition, the aortic valves may also be repaired or replaced through surgery. Often, it is replaced with an artificial valve or a certain tissue from a pig, a human donor or a cow. However, nurses in their interventions continually urge the public to be extremely careful with what they consume (Joan 1998). They particularly urge them to avoid fatty diets. Moreover, the public is encouraged to undertake regular exercises to keep their bodies fit and healthy, and also to monitor their blood pressure by frequently checking it. References Ackley, B 2006, Nursing Diagnosis Handbook, Mosby Elsevier, St. Louis. Brown, S 2009, Evidence Based Nursing, Jones and Barlet Publishers, Sudbury. Dickenson, N 2004, “Global Health Issues and Challenges,” Nursing Scholarships, 6-10. Dunning, T 2009, Care of people with diabetes, Wiley Blackwell Publishers, Chichester. Eckman, M 2011, Professional Guide To Pathophysiology, Wolters Kluwer/Lippincott Williams &Wilkins Health, philadelphia. Griffith, W 2006, Complete Guide to Symptoms, Illness and Surgery, Penguin, New York. James, K 1999, Left Ventricular Hypertrophy, Dordchret, New York. Joan, R 1998, “Promoting Research Utilisation In Nursing,” Evidence Based Nursing , 71-72. Porth, C 2011, Essentials of pathophysiology: concepts of altered health states, Wolters Kluwer/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Philadelphia. Susan, S 2007, “Advancing Evidence Based Practise,” Orthopaedic Nursing, 114-123. Read More