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Pathology of Disease: Describe the pathology related to your patients medical diagnosis. Include textbook signs and symptoms
Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a broad term that includes stable angina pectoris and acute coronary syndromes. Coronary artery
disease affects the arteries that provide blood, oxygen, and nutrients to the myocardium. When blood flow through the coronary arteries is
partially or completely blocked, ischemia and infarction of the myocardium may result. It is responsible for more deaths in older adults
than any other disease. Coronary artery disease is called the silent killer because the disease develops slowly and silently for decades,
going unnoticed until it produces a myocardial infarction. Arterial narrowing within the coronary circulation are often the result of poor
lifestyle choices such as; smoking, stress, a diet rich in fatty foods, not exercising enough, but can also occur due to a familial disposition
to coronary heart disease, and diabetes mellitus. The disease tends to worsen as people age, affecting men more than women. A common
characteristic of CAD is hypertension, with blood pressure diastolic reading greater than 90mm Hg, and systolic readings greater than
140mm Hg. Other characteristics include: pain, burning, or pressure in the angina pectoris (occurring with exertion, emotion, exposure to
cold air, or eating too much at one time),often the pain may radiate to the upper extremities, shortness of breath (SOB), diaphoresis,
nausea, and vomiting.
Information acquired from: Medical-Surgical Nursing 5th Edition, Ignatavicius & Workman; Fundamentals of Nursing 6th Edition, Potter
and Perry; MayoClinic.com, http://www.mayoclinic.com/
How does your client compare to what is considered usual medical/nursing interventions?
My client has been well cared for by the Thomas Hospital staff and physicians. The patients medications are administered as needed; the
VS are taken q4h; the patient is being kept comfortable with oxygen administration and pursed-lip breathing; the patient is still not eating
enough, and is being treated by a speech therapist to assist is mastication and swallowing.