Neurological and Musculoskeletal Pathophysiologic Processes Comprehensive Nursing Sample Paper

Neurological and Musculoskeletal Pathophysiologic Processes Comprehensive Nursing Sample Paper

The patient depicts signs of Cerebrovascular Accidents (CVS), which include paralysis on the left side of the body (Hui, Tadi & Patti, 2022). The patient’s blood vessels in the brain may have ruptured or been blocked by clots, lowering the efficient flow of nutrients and oxygen to the right side of the brain (McCance & Huether, 2019). The patient’s receptive and expressive language is intact since the ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke only affected the right side of the brain, indicating that blood vessels and nerves supplying Broca’s area were not impaired. The Broca’s, found on the brain’s left hemisphere, is responsible for producing and articulating speech (McCance & Huether, 2019). However, the dysarthria experienced resulted from potential swelling or impairment of deep fibers crossing through the nondominant hemisphere. The stroke may have impaired the arcuate fasciculus connecting lobe. Ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke resulting from a blood clot on the blood vessels circulating blood (oxygen and nutrients) to the right side of the brain impaired its speech subsystems.(Neurological and Musculoskeletal Pathophysiologic Processes Comprehensive Nursing Sample Paper)

Moreover, the patient experienced mild facial drooping, resulting from neurological dysfunction of facial nerves responsible for transmitting signals between the brain and the muscles of the face. The patient has a history of hypertension which may have consistently damaged these muscles, impairing the part of the brain transmitting signals to nerves in the face (Hui, Tadi & Patti, 2022). Furthermore, the patient’s musculoskeletal system was affected, resulting in decreased coordination and balance. Hypertension potentially caused hemorrhagic stroke on the patient’s median nerve, including the radial, median, and ulnar nerves, making it difficult to respond to signals from the brain. This impairs communication between the brain and muscles in other body parts, like those in the hands and legs. This resulted in weakness in the left hand.(Neurological and Musculoskeletal Pathophysiologic Processes Comprehensive Nursing Sample Paper)

Ethic/Racial Variables

The ethnic/racial variables that may impact the patient’s physiological functioning can be genetic, environmental, and socioeconomic.. For instance, elderly male African-Americans risk developing heart disease due to genes like Sodium Channel Epithelial 1 Beta Subunit (SCNN1B), Calcium Voltage-Gated Channel Subunit Alpha1 D (CACNA1D), and renin-aldosterone-angiotensin system (RAAS), making them more salt-sensitive (Zilbermint, Hannah-Shmouni & Stratakis, 2019). Higher salt consumption increases blood pressure.(Neurological and Musculoskeletal Pathophysiologic Processes Comprehensive Nursing Sample Paper)

Besides, socioeconomic and lifestyle influences, poor access to healthcare and the unavailability of public health programs to facilitate regular testing and awareness about cardiovascular diseases leads to higher prevalence and mismanagement among vulnerable populations (Moran et al., 2019). Moreover, environmental factors such as poor ventilation increased levels of carbon monoxide, and even cigarette smoke may contribute to complications such as congenital heart failure (Hamad et al., 2020).(Neurological and Musculoskeletal Pathophysiologic Processes Comprehensive Nursing Sample Paper)

Interaction between the Processes

The racial variables interact with the neurological and musculoskeletal processes in various ways to affect the patient. For instance, the RAAS, CACNA1D, and SCNN1B genes cause salt sensitivity among African Americans, leading to over-reactivity of their sympathetic nervous system, increased extracellular fluid volume, heart rate, and vascular resistance. This may cause the rupturing of blood vessels supplying the brain (Zilbermint, Hannah-Shmouni & Stratakis, 2019). Also, stress and unhealthy lifestyles increase the risk factors for high blood pressure. Stress causes a surge of hormones like catecholamines, endothelins, thyroid, and antidiuretic hormones, destabilizing the heart conducting system (Moran et al., 2019). It also causes spasms of the heart’s blood vessels, leading to blockage and rupturing of other blood vessels in sensitive brain regions, causing the stroke. It also increases the body’s demand for oxygen and increases cardiac output. Furthermore, Sevim, Doğan, and Comakli (2020) argue that lead metal increases the excitability and contractility of the heart, altering its compliance with vascular tissues and leading to elevated blood pressure, which ruptures the brain’s blood vessels.(Neurological and Musculoskeletal Pathophysiologic Processes Comprehensive Nursing Sample Paper)