The human body and the way in which it operates is a wonder in itself, but there are many more wondrous systems which keep this body going in the way that it does. One such system is the circulatory system which is exclusively responsible for the distribution of blood towards all of the organs scattered within the body. There are many organs and a scattered network of blood vessels which all come together to get this system up and running, and any hitch in any one of these individual blood carriers could become tedious and sometimes even chronic for the entire body.
Right here and now, we can name dozens of disabilities which could result from the improper functioning of the blood circular system, but we are going to describe in depth three of these worries. A very major problem which has made well over a reasonable number of victims globally is the chronic artery disease, so much that about 30% of the deaths worldwide could be attributed to the issue.
Another very major concern which a number of circulatory systems suffer from is a stroke. We has a fair idea of how integral the brain could be for the entire body systems, and any interruption in the blood flow to the brain could wreak havoc on the body, and this chronic interruption may even prove fatal to the patient of a stroke.
A stroke could result from two kinds of interruptions first of which could be a blood clot within the vessels which carry blood to the brain. Another cause of the stroke could be the bursting or a leak in the vessels which lie within the brain which could, in turn, make the brain bleed.
Alternatively, another worry which arises with the circulatory system is that of hypertension or also what we commonly refer to as blood pressure. This problem has escalated quite a bit particularly over the course of the preceding decade attributing to the sharp increase in the number of unhealthy food products that we consume on a daily basis. The main culprits behind the issue seem to be the highly saturated fats and the unhealthy cholesterols in the body.
Since the coronary heart disease is a more complex problem, it requires medical and sometimes even surgical procedures which are quite complex and also trained professionals like nurses and doctors. There are two procedures which are performed in order to clear the blockage of arteries for the patients of the Coronary Heart Disease (CHD). The first of these two procedures is the Precarious Coronary Intervention which is very commonly known as angioplasty in medical terms.
In the process of angioplasty, a fine tube is inserted through a blood vessel, and it is extended all the way to the blocked artery. This tube has a balloon attached to the end which is then used to clear the blockage. This balloon upon reaching the site of the blockage is inflated which leads it to clear the passage for the blood to flow.
Another medical procedure which is used to clear the blockage in the artery is called the Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG), where an artery from another part of the body is replaced which helps bypass a point in the circulatory system where the artery has become too narrow to allow the flow of blood.
Yet another intervention which could be useful to the patients of CHD is the cardiac rehabilitation program which is a program supervised by medicine professionals, and which aims at improving the health of the heart. This program could prove useful to the patients recovering from angina, GABH, a cardiac arrest of simply CHD too.
In this program, the patient is educated about the condition of his/her heart which helps cope with the problem and also in avoiding any complications in the future. The second phase of the program involves the patient further by giving training on exercise and teaches the way of making that training manageable.
For the medications of CHD, experts can use Antiplatelets like aspirin, clopidogrel, prasugrel and ticagrelor. Doctors also recommend Statins which can perform the role of lowering the level of cholesterol in the blood. Examples of these statins include rosuvastatin,atorvastatin, simvastatin, and pravastatin. Beta blockers could also provide relief for CHD patients by lowering the blood pressure. Doctors can give medications including atenolol, metoprolol,bisoprolol and nebivolol for this purpose.
Stroke is another worry in the circulatory system which could, worse case scenarios, cripple and even kill a patient. This is why the timely treatment of strokes is critical. There are more than a few mechanical devices which medical professionals including nurses could use for making the patient suffering from stroke feel better. Nursing interventions could, therefore, include the insertion of a very small mechanical instrument which could unblock a blood vessel going to the brain.
Similar medical procedures could be performed to clear and patch up any rupture in the brain and consequently prevents leaks in the brain which is one of the two major causes of strokes. Stroke is the result of either like we just said a rupture in the brain or blockage of an artery going to the brain and the treatment can include the tackling of the problem which the patient suffers strokes from. The patch up of leakages may involve the use of instruments like surgical clips and also coils for the prevention of blockages.
Most of these procedures require the presence of surgical professionals because of their sensitive nature, and trained nurses can do plenty to help the patient towards recovery. Regular CAT scans and other tests could keep tabs on whether or not blockage or leakage is taking place at the site of the surgery or in any other part of the brain.
Drug treatment for strokes is fairly limited, and it involves the administering of Tissue Plasmodium Activator (tPA) intravenously at the time of the stroke. The timely administration of this IV could really help the patient towards recovery after the stroke, and nurses should, therefore, give the medicine if a patient suffers a stroke or is brought into the ER as such.
With blood pressure, also known as hypertension, there is a significant risk of the various organs becoming damaged, and this makes the monitoring of the blood pressure necessities. Nurses that are trained usually take the blood pressure of the patient on a regular basis and they also assess their patients for the risk of heart attack because of the same high blood pressure.
They could also measure the levels of cholesterol in their patients, and they can educate the patients regarded the risks associated therewith and the ways of reducing that blood cholesterol. These nurses perform timely questions and answers with their patients to say on par with the progression of their problem and decide if the circumstances and the condition of the patient require medical action.
Diuretics are medications which work by reducing the water content of the body and reducing the pressure of the blood flow. For this purpose, professionals could prescribe drugs including Microzide and chlorthalidone. Beta blockers on the other hand work towards expanding the blood vessels and thereby reducing the pressure on the heart and they come in drugs like Sectral and Teronim. The patients of blood pressure could also be prescribed ACE inhibitors with the intent of keeping the pressure of the blood low as can be and examples of these drugs includeZestril, Lotensil, Capotenetcetera.
Conclusion:
We see that many of the problems which link to the circulatory system of the body are quite serious, and they can inflict significant harm in the patient’s life if they are not duly taken care of. This makes the contribution of nurses very imperative to these patients and what these nurses further towards their rehabilitation and betterment is always appreciated in the life of that patient and that of his/her family members. The interventions that could fall on the shoulders of the nurses may require professional commitment on their part, but the result of that commitment is well worth the trouble they have to go through.
Apart from the contribution towards the rehabilitation of the patients the nurses make, they also give emotional comfort and support to the patients itself and also to the members of his/her family. I have seen and heard about people who have unfortunately had to go through complex medical procedures in a state of mental shock and concern, but the role of the nurses and their support is the factor that they most talk about once the problem passes.
List of References
Blood Pressure Association. (n.d.). Practice Nurses - how they can help treat high blood pressure. Retrieved September 02, 2016, from Blook Pressure UK: http://www.bloodpressureuk.org/BloodPressureandyou/Healthservices/PracticeNurse
Khan Academy. (2016, August 31). Circulatory system diseases. Retrieved from Khan Academy: https://www.khanacademy.org/science/health-and-medicine/circulatory-system-diseases
Mayoclinic. (2016, June 21). High blood pressure (hypertension). Retrieved from Mayo clinic: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/basics/treatment/con-20019580
National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. (2015, June 22). How Is Coronary Heart Disease Treated? Retrieved from NIH: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/cad/treatment
National Stroke Association. (n.d.). Stroke Treatments. Retrieved September 02, 2016, from National Stroke Association: http://www.stroke.org/we-can-help/survivors/just-experienced-stroke/stroke-treatments
NHS Choices. (2014, September 26). Treating heart disease. Retrieved from NHS Choices UK: http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Coronary-heart-disease/Pages/Treatment.aspx
