Case Study: shortness of breath Case Study: shortness of breath Case Study: S.R. is a 65- year-old woman who presents to the emergency department complaining of shortness of breath, productive cough, and swelling in both legs. The patient has a past medical history of congestive heart failure (CHF), hypertension, and diabetes. Vital signs are: T 97.5, P 85, R 16, and BP 160/90. Physical exam reveals +2 edema bilateral lower extremities, heart rate and rhythm regular, lungs with rhonchi in the bases. The patient is started on a nebulizer treatment, and an electrocardiogram has been ordered. 1. What subjective information should the nurse obtain? 2. The nurse is assessing the patients pulses. Which locations should the nurse check? 3. The nurse needs to evaluate the adequacy of the collateral circulation before obtaining an arterial blood gas (ABG) sample. How should the nurse proceed? 4. What is the most likely cause of this patients shortness of breath, productive cough, and swelling of both legs? Expert Answer What subjective information should the nurse obtain? Rest, family and history of heart ailments. Also about blood pressure and diabetes, impulse to urinate amid the night. The nurse is assessing the patients pulses. Which locations should the nurse ? ORDER YOUR PROFESSIONAL PAPER HERE Case Study: S.R. is a 65- year-old woman who presents to the emergency department complaining of shortness of breath, productive cough, and swelling in both legs. The patient has a past medical history of congestive heart failure (CHF), hypertension, and diabetes. Vital signs are: T 97.5, P 85, R 16, and BP 160/90. Physical exam reveals +2 edema bilateral lower extremities, heart rate and rhythm regular, lungs with rhonchi in the bases. The patient is started on a nebulizer treatment, and an electrocardiogram has been ordered. 1. What subjective information should the nurse obtain? 2. The nurse is assessing the patients pulses. Which locations should the nurse check? 3. The nurse needs to evaluate the adequacy of the collateral circulation before obtaining an arterial blood gas (ABG) sample. How should the nurse proceed? 4. What is the most likely cause of this patients shortness of breath, productive cough, and swelling of both legs? Expert Answer What subjective information should the nurse obtain? Rest, family and history of heart ailments. Also about blood pressure and diabetes, impulse to urinate amid the night. The nurse is assessing the patients pulses. Which locations should the nurse ? Order Now

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 

Shortness of breath: causes, symptoms, treatment, and prevention

Introduction

Shortness of breath is a common symptom that can be caused by a wide range of medical conditions. The condition is characterized by the inability to get sufficient air into the lungs to meet the body’s needs and may be caused by heart disease or lung problems. There are many different types of dyspnea and each has its own set of symptoms, causes, and treatments. Here we will explore what dyspnea is, how it manifests itself in different people and causes, as well as potential treatments for this uncomfortable condition

What are the causes of shortness of breath?

Shortness of breath can be caused by many different things. It’s important to understand that shortness of breath is not always a serious condition, and it can also be caused by more minor issues.

The most common cause of shortness of breath is asthma, a condition that causes wheezing, chest tightness and coughing when someone takes a deep breath. Other causes include:

• Emotional stress or anxiety

• Physical injuries (including heart problems)

What are symptoms that can accompany shortness of breath?

There are several symptoms that can accompany shortness of breath. They include:

• Chest pain. This is the most common symptom, and it’s usually associated with heart disease or lung disease such as emphysema.

• Dizziness. This could be caused by low blood oxygen levels, which may cause dizziness if they’re severe enough to affect your balance while walking or standing up suddenly without warning you beforehand (a condition known as syncope). It could also be related to high blood pressure and/or other health conditions that affect your ability to regulate body temperature (such as diabetes).

• Fainting spells or seizures—fainting spells can be caused by low blood oxygen levels; seizures are typically associated with epilepsy but may also occur when someone has experienced an episode of fainting before and hasn’t recovered completely from it yet—and a person experiencing either condition should seek immediate medical attention from their doctor!

How is dyspnea diagnosed?

If you have shortness of breath, it’s important to see your doctor. Your doctor can help determine whether there are any other causes for your symptoms, like heart disease or lung problems. They may also want to check for other medical conditions that could be causing the shortness of breath and make sure you aren’t taking medications that could be contributing to it as well.

If a diagnosis is made, treatment options will depend on what type of dyspnea (or “shortness of breath”) is present:

• Dyspnea due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) – This condition includes symptoms like coughing up phlegm; wheezing; difficulty breathing; chest tightness; and more.[3] Treatment usually involves medications such as long-acting beta2-agonists (LABA), which relax smooth muscle along airway walls so they open during inhalation process.[4] Other treatments include oxygen therapy[5] and inhaled corticosteroids.[6]

How is dyspnea treated?

• Medication: If you have asthma, the corticosteroid medicines (such as Flovent) may help.

• Exercise: Moderate aerobic exercise can improve your symptoms by reducing blood flow to the lungs and improving their function.

• Oxygen: High-flow oxygen is often used to treat shortness of breath when it’s caused by chronic lung diseases such as emphysema or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It also helps people who have had smoking-related damage to their lungs recover more quickly after they stop smoking than those who don’t use high-flow oxygen therapy because it helps restore normal blood flow to their lungs, which leads them back into normal breathing patterns sooner than other treatments do

Are there ways to prevent dyspnea?

Some people who have shortness of breath may be able to control their dyspnea by changing their lifestyle. Being physically active and eating a healthy diet are good ways to prevent or treat dyspnea, but it’s also important for people with chronic lung disease or other conditions that affect breathing to get enough rest and avoid smoking, secondhand smoke exposure, alcohol use and caffeine intake.

In addition to these measures you can take:

• Avoiding stress – People with shortness of breath often have higher levels of cortisol (the “stress hormone”) in their blood than others do because they’re feeling anxious at times when they should be relaxing. Cortisol levels can cause problems with breathing by making blood vessels in the lungs expand too much which causes airways narrows down so more air doesn’t get into them when we breathe out through our mouth during exhalation phase while inhaling through nostrils during inspiration phase

Shortness of breath can be uncomfortable and distressing, but it is treatable.

Shortness of breath is a common symptom in many people. It’s not a disease, but it can be uncomfortable and distressing. You may have shortness of breath because you’re breathing too deeply or taking too many deep breaths.

There are several causes for shortness of breath:

• Lung problems such as asthma and emphysema

• Heart failure (cardiac dysrhythmia)

• Diabetic retinopathy (diabetes eye disease)

Conclusion

Shortness of breath is a common health problem that affects millions of people. The causes and symptoms can vary, but there is often something you can do to prevent or treat it. If you suspect that you are experiencing shortness of breath, talk to your doctor or nurse practitioner as soon as possible!