blood
Diseases Process
RN instructed patient and caregiver on hypertensive urgency which is a situation where the blood
pressure is severely elevated and may or may not experience one or more of these symptoms: Severe headache, shortness of breath, nosebleeds, and severe anxiety, chest or back pain, numbness or weakness of extremities, change in vision and difficulty speaking and immediately ask for medical assistance calling 9-1-1. RN instructed patient and caregiver on no-added-salt or salt-controlled diet that can help control high blood
pressure. Both patient and caregiver verbalized understanding.
SN instructed patient on diabetes and kidney problem, that diabetes mellitus ( DM ) is one of the leading cause of kidney failure in the United States. Approximately one-half of people who need dialysis have kidney disease from diabetes.With that, tight control of blood
sugar must be done by avoiding concentrated sweets and high-carbohydrate content foods.Diabetic patients with hypertension have a special lower blood
pressure target of less than 130 / 80 mmHg to reduce cardiovascular risk and delay progression of kidney disease.
SN instructed that check the access for signs of infection or problems with blood
flow before each hemodialysis treatment, even if the patient is inserting the needles. Keeping the access clean at all times. Using the access site only for dialysis. Being careful not to bump or cut the access. Checking the thrill in the access every day. The thrill is the rhythmic vibration a person can feel over the vascular access. Watching for and reporting signs of infection, including redness, tenderness, or pus. Not letting anyone put a blood
pressure cuff on the access arm. Not wearing jewelry or tight clothes over the access site. Not sleeping with the access arm under the head or body. Not lifting heavy objects or putting pressure on the access arm.
SN instructed patient / caregiver that Atrial fibrillation is an irregular and often rapid heart rate that can increase your risk of stroke, heart failure and other heart-related complications. It may lead to complications. Atrial fibrillation can lead to blood
clots forming in the heart that may circulate to other organs and lead to blocked blood
flow ( ischemia ). Treatments for this may include medications and other interventions to try to alter the heart's electrical system. Signs and symptoms ( S / S ) such as: Palpitations, which are sensations of a racing, uncomfortable, irregular heartbeat or a flip - flopping in your chest, weakness, fatigue, lightheadedness, dizziness, chest pain.
Sn instructed patient about diabetic wounds / ulcers have poor or delayed healing. Healing problems are caused by the peripheral arterial diseases and peripheral neuropathy that can occur with diabetes, wherein the small blood
vessels in different parts of the body, especially in the extremities ( hands and feet ), grow narrower and reduce the blood
circulation to those areas. A lack of circulation in the extremities can result in a reduced supply of oxygen and nutrients to the body tissue and nerves, which is necessary for healing. Over time, nerves in these areas may become damaged, decreasing the sensation of pain, temperature and touch, making patients vulnerable to injury.
SN taught patient that learning what affects your blood
glucose levels and what to do when they are higher or lower than desired takes practice. Looking for patterns and trends can help you determine what is causing the blood
glucose levels to go high or low, and can help you target what might need some adjusting.
SN taught patient about importance of exercise with diabetes. For most people with diabetes, exercise is very important. Exercise helps your body use sugar better. As a result, your blood
glucose level goes down. An exercise plan can be as simple as taking a walk every day. Get a friend to walk with you. When you do things with a buddy, it’s easier. You’ll be less tempted to skip a day. Before you start an exercise program, talk to your doctor. Exercise tends to lower blood
glucose level, so your doctor may need to make some changes to your management plan.
SN instructed patient on atherosclerotic heart disease also known as Coronary Artery Disease (CAD); is the damage or disease in the heart's major blood
vessels. The usual cause is the buildup of plaque. This causes coronary arteries to narrow, limiting blood
flow to the heart. Coronary artery disease can range from no symptoms, to chest pain, to a heart attack. Treatments include lifestyle changes, medications, angioplasty, and surgery.
Diabetic Chronic Kidney disease Treatment for diabetic kidney disease includes controlling blood
pressure and blood
sugar levels, reducing dietary protein intake, avoiding medications that may damage the kidneys, treating urinary tract infections and exercise and weight loss (under the supervision of a physician).
SN instructed on arteriosclerosis is hardening and thickening of the walls of the arteries. This condition can occur because of fatty deposits on the inner lining of arteries (atherosclerosis), calcification of the wall of the arteries, or thickening of the muscular wall of the arteries from chronically elevated blood
pressure. When arteriosclerosis affects the coronary arteries that supply blood
to the heart muscle, a shortage of oxygen delivered to the heart itself may lead to a heart attack.