Latest NURS 6501 Final Exam Review Guide (Weeks 7-11)
• Structure and Function of the Cardiovascular and Lymphatic Systems
• Pathophysiological changes related to Pain, Temperature Regulation, Sleep,
and Sensory Funct
...
Latest NURS 6501 Final Exam Review Guide (Weeks 7-11)
• Structure and Function of the Cardiovascular and Lymphatic Systems
• Pathophysiological changes related to Pain, Temperature Regulation, Sleep,
and Sensory Function
• How does patient characteristics such as racial and ethnic variables impact
altered physiology?
• How does the pathophysiology of spinal injuries impact patients?
• What is the impact of patient characteristics on disorders and altered
physiology.
Common Neurological and MS disorders and the pathophysiological nature of
these issues in adults and children:
Concepts of Neurological and Musculoskeletal Disorders
Stroke
• Cerebrovascular disease is the most frequently occurring neurologic
disorder. Any abnormality of the blood vessels of the brain is referred to as
cerebrovascular disease includes vessel wall abnormalities and vascular
malformations, thrombotic or embolic occlusion, and increased blood
viscosity or clotting.
• Cerebrovascular disease causes
o ischemia with or without infarction and hemorrhage.
o The common clinical manifestation is a cerebrovascular accident
(CVA) or stroke syndrome.
o Hypertension is the greatest risk factor followed by other
preventable risks.
• CVAs are classified according to the pathophysiology and include
ischemic (thrombotic, embolic, and hypoperfusion), lacunar (small vessel
disease), and hemorrhagic strokes.
• Ischemic strokes result from interruption in brain-blood flow with a core
of irreversible ischemia and necrosis or infarction that appears pale (white
infarct).
o The zone around the infarction has reversible ischemia, is called
the ischemic penumbra, and can regain neurologic function,
particularly with thrombolytic treatment.
o Leaking blood vessels can develop in the infarcted area, resulting
in a hemorrhagic transformation (a red infarct) that can be
exacerbated by thrombolytic therapy.
o Reperfusion injury can occur with ischemic stroke.
• Intracerebral hemorrhagic stroke is primarily associated with vessel
disease related to hypertension.
• Subarachnoid hemorrhage is associated with ruptured aneurysms,
arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), or cavernous angioma.o Subarachnoid hemorrhage is bleeding into the subarachnoid space
commonly associated with intracranial aneurysms, AVM, and
hypertension. The expanding hematoma increases ICP,
compresses brain tissue, reduces cerebral perfusion, disrupts the
bloodbrain barrier, and causes inflammation and neuronal death.
Secondary brain injury follows. Seizures and hydrocephalus can
accompany neurologic deficits.
Multiple sclerosis
• MS is a chronic inflammatory disease involving degeneration of CNS
myelin in genetically susceptible individuals.
• The cause is unknown and autoreactive T and B cells recognize myelin
autoantigens and produce myelin-specific antibodies triggering
inflammatory demyelination with loss of oligodendrocytes and plaque
formation leading to disruption of nerve conduction.
• The clinical manifestations of MS involve different types: relapsingremitting, primary progressive, secondary progressive, and progressiverelapsing.
Transient Ischemic Attack
• A transient ischemic attack is a transient episode of neurologic dysfunction
resulting from focal cerebral ischemia with risk for progressing to stroke.
Myasthenia gravis
• Myasthenia gravis results from a defect in nerve impulse transmission at
the neuromuscular junction with generalized, ocular, or neonatal subtypes.
Autoantibodies, complement deposits, and membrane attack complex
destroy the acetylcholine receptor (AChR) sites, causing decreased
transmission of nerve impulses, leading to muscle weakness, including
ocular and systemic muscles. There can be childhood and adult onset.
Headache
• Migraine is an episodic disorder whose marker is headache lasting 4 to
72 hours.
o Migraine is classified as a headache with and without aura and
chronic migraine (migraines 15 days in a month for more than 3
months).
o Migraine may be precipitated by a triggering event.
o The aura is associated with cortical spreading depression, which
initiates the release of neurotransmitters, particularly CGRP, that
stimulate vasodilation in the trigeminal vascular system,
inflammation, and sensitization of pain receptors. Glutamate is
increased and serotonin is decreased.
• Cluster headaches (trigeminal autonomic cephalalgia) occur in
episodes several times during a day for a period of days at different times
of the year, primarily in men.o The pain is unilateral, intense, tearing, and burning and associated
with ptosis, lacrimation, reddening of the eye, and nausea. The
cause of trigeminal activation is unknown.
o There is sympathetic nervous system underactivity and
parasympathetic overactivity with trigger events similar to migraine.
The two forms are acute and chronic
o Chronic paroxysmal hemicranias are a cluster-type headache that
occurs 4 to 12 times per day for 20 to 120 minutes in both men and
women.
o There is sympathetic activity different from that in cluster headache,
as it is relieved with indomethacin. 40.
• Tension-type headache (TTH) is the most common type of headache.
o Both central and peripheral pain mechanisms are associated with
the etiology.
o The headache is bilateral, with the sensation of a tight band around
the head. The pain may last for hours or days.
o There are acute and chronic forms.
Seizure disorders
• Seizures represent abnormal, excessive hypersynchronous discharges of
cerebral neurons with transient alterations in brain function.
• Seizures may be focal or generalized.
• The categories of seizures include genetic, structural, metabolic, immune,
infectious, and unknown.
Head injury
• Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an alteration in brain function or other
evidence of brain pathology caused by an external force.
• Primary brain injury is caused by an impact and can be focal or diffuse
with open- or closed-head injury.
o Severity of TBI is graded using the Glasgow Coma Score.
▪ Focal brain injury includes coup and contrecoup, contusion
(bruising of the brain), laceration (tearing of brain tissue),
extradural hematoma (accumulation of blood above the dura
mater), subdural hematoma (blood between the dura mater
and arachnoid membrane), intracerebral hematoma
(bleeding into the brain), and open-head trauma.
o Open-head injury involves a skull fracture with exposure of the
cranial vault to the environment.
▪ The types of skull fracture include compound fracture or
perforated fracture and linear, comminuted, and basilar skull
fracture.
o Closed-head injuries occur in a precise location, and most are
mild. More severe damage includes contusions and epidural,
subdural, subarachnoid, and intracerebral hemorrhage.▪ Diffuse axonal injury (DAI) results from mechanical forces
of acceleration, deceleration, and rotation that cause
stretching and shearing of axons and can only be seen
microscopically. The injury can be mild, moderate, or severe.
▪ Secondary neuronal injury occurs as an indirect result of
primary brain injury.
▪ Systemic processes include hypotension, hypoxia, anemia,
hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, and hypercapnia or
hypocapnia.
▪ Cerebral contributions include inflammation, oxidative stress,
alterations in the blood-brain barrier, excitotoxicity, cerebral
edema, increased intracranial pressure (IICP), decreased
cerebral perfusion pressure, cerebral ischemia, and brain
herniation.
▪ Complications of TBI include postconcussion syndrome,
posttraumatic seizures, and chronic and traumatic
encephalopathy.
Spinal cord injury
• Spinal cord and vertebral injuries occur most often in young men who
sustain various kinds of injuries (recreational or travel-related) and older
adults because of preexisting degenerative vertebral disorders. 11.
• Vertebral injuries include fractures, dislocations, compressions, and
penetrating bone fragments from shearing and compression force.
Fractures can be simple, compressed, or comminuted. 12.
o Primary spinal cord injury involves damage to vertebral or neural
tissues from shearing, compression, or traction forces. 13.
o Secondary spinal cord injury is related to edema, ischemia,
excitotoxicity, inflammation, oxidative damage, and activation of
necrotic and apoptotic cell death and begins within minutes after
injury and continues for weeks.
o Spinal cord injury often causes spinal shock with cessation of all
motor, sensory, reflex, and autonomic functions below any
transected area. Loss of motor and sensory function depends on
the level of injury.
o Neurogenic shock (vasogenic shock) occurs with cervical or
upper thoracic cord injury above T5 and may be seen in addition to
spinal shock. There is loss of sympathetic activity and unopposed
vagal parasympathetic activity with symptoms of hypotension,
bradycardia, and hypothermia.
o Paralysis of the lower half of the body with both legs involved is
called paraplegia.
▪ Paralysis involving all four extremities is called quadriplegia.
▪ Return of spinal neuron excitability occurs slowly. Reflex
activity can return in 1 to 2 weeks in most people with acute
spinal cord injury. A pattern of flexion reflexes emerges,involving first the toes and then the feet and legs. Eventually
reflex voiding and bowel elimination appear, and mass reflex
(flexor spasms accompanied by profuse sweating,
piloerection, and automatic bladder emptying) may develop.
o Autonomic hyperreflexia (dysreflexia) is a syndrome of sudden
massive reflex sympathetic discharge associated with spinal cord
injury at level T5-T6 or above and can cause life-threatening
hypertension.
Inflammatory diseases of the musculoskeletal system
Osteoporosis
• Metabolic bone diseases are characterized by abnormal bone structure.
o In osteoporosis bone tissue is normally mineralized, but the density
or mass of bone is reduced because the bone remodeling cycle is
disrupted.
o Osteoporosis is a complex, multifactorial, chronic disease that often
progresses silently for decades until fractures occur. It is the most
common bone disease. Multiple factors are involved including
alteration in the OPG/RANKL/RANK system.
• Postmenopausal osteoporosis occurs in middle-aged and older women
and is caused by increased osteoclast activity (probably caused by
changes in osteoprotegerin), decreased IGF levels, a combination of
inadequate dietary calcium intake and lack of vitamin D, possibly
decreased levels of magnesium, lack of exercise, decreased levels of
estrogen, and family history.
o Glucocorticoids increase RANKL expression and inhibit OPG
production by osteoblasts, thus leading to lower bone density.
Osteopenia
• Decreased bone mass
Bursitis
• A trauma or overuse injury that can cause painful inflammation in the
bursal sacs
• The inflammation may decrease with rest, heat, and aspiration of the fluid.
Tendinitis
• Inflammation of tendons
o Inflammatory fluid accumulates, causing swelling of the tendon and
its enclosing sheath. Inflammatory changes cause thickening of the
sheath, which limits movements and causes pain.
o After repeated inflammations, calcium may be deposited in the
tendon origin area, causing a calcific tendinitis
Gout
• Gout is a metabolic disorder associated with high levels of uric acid in the
blood and body fluids. Uric acid crystallizes in the connective tissue of a
joint, where it initiates inflammatory destruction of the joint.• Uric acid >6.8mg/dl
• Three stages:
o Asymptomatic hyperuricemia
▪ Serum urate level is elevated but arthritic symptomrs, tophi,
and renal stones are not present; may persist throughout life
o Acute Gouty arthritis:
▪ Attacks develop with increased serum urate concentrations;
tends to occur with sudden or sustained increases of
hyperuricemia but also can be triggered by trauma, drugs,
and alcohol
o Tophaceous Gout:
▪ Third and chronic stage of disease; can begin as early as 3
years or as late as 40 years after the initial attack of gouty
arthritis. Progressive inability to excrete uric acid expands
the urate pool until urate crystal deposits (tophi) appear in
cartilage, synovial membrane, tendons, and soft tissue.
Lyme Disease
• Multisystem inflammatory disease caused by a spirochete borrelia
burgdorferi transmitted by ixodes tick bites and is the most frequently
reported vector-borne illness
• Highest incidence among children
• Symptoms occur in three stages however 50% are symptomless
o Localized infection occurs 3-32 days after the bite with erythema
migrans and a bulls eye rash (commonly appear at the tick
attachment) with or without fever, malaise, myalgias, and
arthralgias
o Disseminated infection or secondary erythema migrans, usually
with myalgias, arthralgias, and more rarely meningitis, neuritis, or
carditis
o Post Lyme disease syndrome or chronic lyme disease can continue
for years with arthritis, encephalopathy, polyneuropathy or heart
failure
• Treatment: Abx doxycycline, amoxicillin, cefuroxine
Spondylolysis
• Spondylolysis is a structural defect in the pars interarticularis of the
vertebral arch with anterior displacement (sliding) of the deficient vertebra
(spondylolisthesis) and is a cause of low back pain.
• Cervical spondylolysis is facet hypertrophy and disk degeneration with
narrowing in the cervical spine predominantly at C5-C6 and C6-C7 and
can cause radiculopathy and myelopathy with numbness and tingling in
the arms, occipital headache, difficulty walking, altered sensation in the
feet, and sphincter disturbances.
Fractures
• The most common skeletal injury is a fracture.• A bone can be completely or incompletely fractured.
o A closed fracture leaves the skin intact.
o An open fracture has an overlying skin wound.
o The direction of the fracture line can be linear, oblique, spiral, or
transverse. Greenstick, torus, and bowing fractures are examples
of incomplete fractures that occur in children.
o Stress fractures occur in normal or abnormal bone that is subjected
to repeated stress.
o Fatigue fractures occur in normal bone subjected to abnormal
stress.
o Normal weightbearing can cause an insufficiency fracture in
abnormal bone.
•
Parkinson’s
• PD is a common degenerative disorder of the basal ganglia (corpus
striatum) involving degeneration of the dopamine-secreting nigrostriatal
pathway resulting in overactivity by the subthalamic nucleus, causing
tremor, rigidity, and bradykinesia. Involvement of the limbic system causes
emotional lability. Progressive dementia may be associated with an
advanced stage of the disease.
Alzheimer’s
• Dementia is an acquired impairment of intellectual function, memory, and
language with alteration in behavior and can be caused by trauma,
vascular disease, infection, and progressive neurodegeneration. AD is the
most common chronic, irreversible dementia with accumulations of
amyloid and tau protein neurofibrillary tangles in the brain. Less common
forms include vascular and frontotemporal dementia.
Three basic bone-formations:
Osteoblasts:
• Derived from fibroblasts and are responsible for construction of bone
• Synthesizes collagen and proteoglycans; stimulate bone formation and
are also involved in some osteoclast resorptive activity
Osteocytes
• Maintain bone matrix
• act as mechanoreceptors
• influence osteoblasts and osteoclasts
Osteoclasts
• Multinucleate cells of monocytic origin that remodel bone by resorption
• Major role in mineral homeostasis
Concepts of Psychological DisordersGeneralized anxiety disorder
• GAD is characterized by excessive and persistent worries about life
events. Individuals exhibit varying levels of motor disturbances, irritability,
and fatigue that may be linked to fluctuations in psychosocial stress. Many
GAD individuals manifest symptoms of depression.
• Pathophysiologic changes in the cingulate cortex and amygdala may have
prominent roles in stimulating anticipatory anxiety and attentional bias to
threats in people with GAD.
• Treatment of GAD usually involves a combination of behavioral therapy
and drug medications, especially 5-HT/NE reuptake inhibitors.
Depression
• Major depression is characterized by an intense and sustained unpleasant
state of sadness and hopelessness.
• Environmental triggers such as psychosocial stress appear to facilitate the
onset of depression in individuals with a genetic vulnerability.
• A reduction in brain monoamine neurotransmission is linked to depression
• Exposure to uncontrollable stress elevates secretion of the stress
hormone cortisol, which increases both the secretion of proinflammatory
cytokines and the risk of developing depression. Abnormalities involving
thyroid hormones also are found in depression.
• Stress-induced depression is accompanied by deficits in brain-derived
neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and neurogenesis in the hippocampus. In
animal models, stress-induced depression-like behavior and the
accompanying deficits in hippocampal BDNF and neurogenesis are
reversed by antidepressant treatment.
• The frontal lobe and limbic system volumes are reduced in major
depression and bipolar illness.
• In addition, blood flow is altered in prefrontal and limbic brain regions that
include the amygdala, a structure implicated in emotional behavior.
• Pharmacotherapy involves the use of MAOIs, TCAs, SSRIs, and atypical
antidepressants.
Bipolar disorders
• Psychiatric disorder characterized by alternating mania or hypomania and
depression, often with periods of normal mood in between, and changes in
energy and behavior according to mood
• Mania characterized by:
o Elevated levels of euphoria and self-esteem and feelings of
grandiosity, few hours of sleep, increased energy, unorganized
plans and thoughts, poor judgment, hypersexuality, excessive,
rapid loud and pressured speech lasting days to months followed
by depression
o 50% develop psychotic symptom such as delusions, hallucinations
requiring hospitalization
Schizophrenia
• Schizophrenia is characterized by thought disorders that reflect a break
between the cognitive and the emotional sides of one’s personality.• Schizophrenic symptoms are classified into positive, negative, and
cognitive categories.
o Positive symptoms include hallucinations, delusions, formal thought
disorder, and bizarre behavior.
o Negative symptoms include flattened affect, alogia, anhedonia,
attention deficits, and apathy.
o Cognitive symptoms are the inability to perform daily tasks requiring
attention and planning.
• Schizophrenia has a strong genetic predisposition, and environmental
factors (e.g., viral infection, nutritional deficiencies, prenatal birth
complications, urban upbringing) may interfere with genetically
programmed neural development to alter brain structure and function.
• Brain imaging studies reveal structural brain abnormalities including an
enlargement of the cerebral ventricles and widening of the fissures and
sulci in the frontal cortex.
o In addition, there is a reduction in the volumes of both the
thalamus, which may disrupt communication among cortical brain
regions, and the temporal lobe, which may be responsible for the
manifestations of positive symptoms.
o In schizophrenia, the frontal lobe shows a progressive loss in
volume and a worsening of negative symptoms despite the use of
antipsychotic medications.
o Blood flow and metabolism are reduced in the dorsolateral
prefrontal cortex, which compromises the ability to engage in goaldirected and cognitive problem-solving behavior.
o Neurochemical abnormalities in dopamine and glutamate systems
are found in schizophrenia.
• The first generation of antipsychotic drugs blocks the dopamine D2
receptor. The second generation, called atypical antipsychotics, blocks not
only D2 receptors but also dopamine, serotonin, and other
neurotransmitter receptors.
o Antipsychotic medications, however, are not always effective in
treating schizophrenic individuals with severe negative symptoms.
Talk therapies are used to increase drug compliance and to
encourage coping strategies.
Delirium
• Acute confusional state arising from disruption of a widely distributed
neural network involving the reticular activating system of the upper
brainstem and is projections into the thalamus, basal ganglion, and
specific association areas of the cortex and limbic areas.
o Associated with autonomic nervous system hyperactivity and
typically develops over 2-3 days and associated with right upper
middle temporal gyrus or left temporal occipital junction disruption
• Most commonly occurs in critical care units or during withdrawal from
alcohol
• Hospitalized older adults are most at risk• Causes:
o Drug intoxication, alcohol/drug withdrawal, metabolic disorders (
hypoglycemia, thyroid storm), brain trauma/surgery,
postanesthesia, febrile illnesses or heat stroke, electrolyte
imbalance, dehydration, heart kidney or liver failure
Dementia
• Acquired deterioration and progressive failure of many cerebral functions
that includes impairment of intellectual processes with a decrease in
orienting, memory, language, judgment, and decision making. Declining
intellectual activity may lead to alterations in behavior ie agitation,
wandering, and aggression
• Pathophysiology
o Neuron degeneration, compression of brain tissue, atherosclerosis
of cerebral vessels, and brain trauma. Genetic predisposition is
associated with neurodegenerative diseases including alzheimer’s,
Huntington, and parkinsons disease
• Eval and treatment:
o Rule out other underlying conditions that may be treatable
Obsessive compulsive disease
• OCD is a chronic illness characterized by irrational obsessions and
ritualized acts that impair normal functioning and cause severe distress. It
is a chronic disabling illness.
• OCD is a time-consuming illness, which significantly impairs everyday
functions, such as social relationships, job performance, and academic
success.
o Examples of obsessions include preoccupation with doubting,
religious or sexual themes, or the belief that a negative outcome
will occur if a specific act is not performed.
o A pathophysiologic brain circuit consisting of the anterior thalamus,
orbitofrontal cortex, dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, and especially
in the basal ganglia subregions of the caudate and putamen is
involved in OCD.
o OCD requires long-term treatment that may include psychotherapy
and pharmacotherapy. However, people with severe OCD who are
resistant to these treatments may require neurosurgery to
disconnect regions of pathophysiologic brain circuit to provide relief
of OCD symptoms. Deep brain stimulation may be another option
for uncontrollable OCD.
Women’s and Men’s Health, Infections, and Hematologic Disorders
Sexually transmitted diseases
• Sexually transmitted diseases may be more common in certain
populations related to increased physiologic risk for acquisition (such as
with younger women or with men who have sex with men) or insufficientaccess to quality health care (such as with lower socioeconomic groups,
racial/ethnic minorities, and marginalized groups).
• Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted communicable disease that can be
local or systemic. Complications include PID, sterility, and disseminated
infection.
o Gonorrhea can be passed to the fetus from the mother and typically
manifests as an eye infection 1 to 12 days after birth. Ophthalmic
antibiotic prophylaxis alone is not sufficient to prevent vertical
transmission.
o Gonorrhea is rapidly becoming resistant to available antibiotics.
Multidrug therapy is now recommended to decrease drug
resistance.
• Syphilis is an STI that becomes systemic shortly after infection. The four
stages of the disease are (a) primary syphilis with a chancre at the site of
infection; (b) secondary syphilis with systemic spread to all body systems;
(c) latent syphilis with minimal symptoms or the development of skin
lesions; and (d) tertiary syphilis, the most severe stage, with destruction of
bone, skin, and soft and neurologic tissues.
o Congenital syphilis contributes to prematurity of the newborn with
bone marrow depression, CNS involvement, renal failure, and
intrauterine growth retardation.
o Syphilis is diagnosed with serologic testing and is treated with
injectable penicillin.
o With chancroid infection, women are generally asymptomatic and
men may develop inflamed, painful genital ulcers and inguinal
buboes. The incubation period is 1 to 14 days. Single-dose therapy
with injectable ceftriaxone or oral azithromycin for both partners is
recommended. Persons with HIV may require a longer treatment
regimen.
• Granuloma inguinale (donovanosis) is rare in the United States. The
bacteria are gram negative and survive within macrophages. Localized
nodules coalesce to form granulomas and ulcers on the penis in men and
on the labia in women. Antibiotics provide effective treatment.
• Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a sexually associated condition caused by an
overgrowth of anaerobic bacteria that produce aromatic amines and raise
the pH of the vagina, promoting further bacterial growth (without an
inflammatory response) and a fishy odor. “Clue cells” are found on the wet
mount.
o Metronidazole (Flagyl) provides effective treatment. BV has been
associated with PID, chorioamnionitis, preterm labor, and
postpartum endometritis. Treatment of male sexual partners is not
recommended.
• Chlamydia is the most common bacterial STI in the United States and a
leading preventable cause of infertility and ectopic pregnancy. The
causative organism, C. trachomatis, localizes to epithelial tissue and canspread throughout the urogenital tract or pass from the infected mother to
the eyes and respiratory tract of newborn infants during birth.
o C. trachomatis is susceptible to inexpensive, readily accessible
antibiotics. Single-dose azithromycin is the drug of choice for
infected individuals and all sexual contacts. Because of the
asymptomatic nature of chlamydia and the potential sequelae of
infection, widespread screening is recommended by the CDC.
• Lymphogranuloma venereum is a chronic STI uncommon in the United
States. The lesion begins as a skin infection and spreads to the lymph
tissue, causing inflammation, necrosis, buboes, and abscesses of the
inguinal lymph nodes. Primary lesions appear on the penis and scrotum in
men and on the cervix, vaginal wall, and labia in women. Secondary
lesions involve inflammation and swelling of the lymph nodes with
formation of large buboes that rupture and drain.
o A 21-day or longer course of oral doxycycline or erythromycin is
needed for treatment. Treatment of sexual partners is
recommended.
• Genital herpes is the most common genital ulceration in the United States
and is caused by either HSV-1 or HSV-2. Lesions initially appear as
groups of vesicles that progress to ulceration with pain, lymphadenopathy,
and fever. Herpes simplex virus can pass from mother to fetus; thus
women with active lesions should give birth by cesarean section to avoid
vertical transmission.
o Herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection is lifelong and can result in an
initial outbreak and subsequent outbreaks. Individuals are
contagious during outbreaks and episodes of asymptomatic viral
shedding.
o Acyclovir reduces symptoms but does not cure the disease.
Recurrent infections are most often attributable to HSV-2 and are
generally milder and of shorter duration.
• Human papillomavirus (HPV) is associated with the development of
cervical dysplasia and cancer as well as condylomata acuminata. The
high-risk strains of HPV (HR-HPV) that are precursors to the development
of cervical cancer do not cause genital warts. Testing is available to detect
HR-HPV and a vaccine is now available for the HPV types with highest
risk for cervical cancer.
• Condylomata acuminata (genital warts) are sexually transmitted and
highly contagious. The velvety cauliflower-like lesions occur in the genital
and anal areas, vagina, and cervix and are painless. They can be
transmitted to the infant at birth.
• Molluscum contagiosum is a benign viral infection of the skin. It is
transmitted by skin-to-skin contact in children and adults. In adults, it tends
to occur on the genitalia and be transmitted by sexual contact.
• Trichomoniasis (T. vaginalis) causes vaginitis in women and urethritis in
men. Both partners usually are infected. Women usually have a copious,malodorous, gray-green discharge with pruritus. Men usually are
asymptomatic. Metronidazole is the treatment for both sexes.
• Scabies is a parasitic infection that spreads by skin-to-skin and sexual
contact. The scabies mite burrows through the skin, depositing eggs,
causing intense pruritus, especially at night. Treatment consists of topical
application of a pediculicide.
• Pediculosis pubis (crabs) is commonly transmitted sexually and is caused
by the crab louse, P. pubis. The lice bite into the skin for nutrition.
Symptoms include mild and severe pruritus. Topical application of
prescription or over-the-counter pediculicides is effective treatment.
• Systemic diseases known to be sexually transmitted include AIDS (see
Chapter 10), cytomegalovirus infection, and Epstein-Barr virus.
• Transmission of HBV can occur through needle puncture, blood
transfusion, cuts in the skin, and contact with infected body fluids.
o Hepatitis B infection poses significant health risks including chronic
liver disease and hepatocellular cancer. Immunization against
hepatitis B is the most effective means of preventing transmission.
Universal vaccination of infants and children is recommended, as
well as vaccination of high-risk adults.
o The risk of perinatal transmission of HBV is high for infants of HBVinfected mothers unless they receive immunoglobulin and are
vaccinated.
• Hepatitis C is generally transmitted percutaneously but sexual
transmission appears possible.
• Although normally transmitted through mosquito bites, zika virus can be
transmitted through sexual contact with infected body fluids or through
vertical transmission. Zika virus sequesters in fetal brain tissue, disrupting
brain growth and causing persistent, lifelong microcephaly.
Prostate
• The prostate gland is about the size of a walnut and surrounds the
urethra. Prostatic secretions are alkaline and contribute to the ejaculate.
Epididymitis
• inflammation of the epididymis, is usually caused by a sexually transmitted
pathogen that ascends through the vasa deferentia from an already
infected urethra or bladder.
Factors that affect fertility
• female: ovulatory disorder, abnormal semen, blockage of the fallopian
tubes, endometriosis, unexplained infertility, adhesions, scarring from PID
• male: hormonal disorders (thyroid or testosterone), elevations in
temperature, abnormal placement of testicles, varicoceles near the
testes, exposure to high temperatures in hot tubs or saunas, abnormalities
in seminal tracts and sexual dysfunction that disrupts ejaculation
Anemia• Anemia is defined as a reduction in the total circulating red cell mass or a
decrease in the quality or quantity of hemoglobin. Polycythemias are
excessive levels or volumes of RBCs.
o Anemias can result from blood loss, impaired erythrocyte
production, increased erythrocyte destruction, and a combination of
these factors.
o Total circulating red blood cell mass is reflected by changes in
plasma volume caused by dehydration and fluid retention.
o Anemias can be classified in several ways and a useful way is by
the main underlying mechanism.
o Clinical manifestations of anemia may be demonstrated in all
organs and tissues (tissue hypoxia) throughout the body.
Decreased oxygen delivery to tissues causes fatigue, dyspnea,
syncope, angina, compensatory tachycardia, and organ
dysfunction.
o Posthemorrhagic anemia is a normocytic-normochromic anemia
caused by acute blood loss. A major cause of acute blood loss is
trauma, a rising global problem.
o Anemia from chronic blood loss occurs if the loss is greater than
the replacement capacity of the bone marrow. If iron stores are
depleted, iron deficiency anemia can occur.
o Macrocytic (megaloblastic) anemias are characterized by larger
than normal erythroid precursors (megaloblasts) in the bone
marrow that mature into large erythrocytes. They most commonly
are caused by deficiency of vitamin B12 or folate.
o PA results from inadequate vitamin B12 absorption because
autoimmune gastritis impairs the production of IF, which is required
for vitamin B12 uptake from the gut.
o Folate deficiency anemia is caused by inadequate dietary intake of
folate. Both anemias respond to replacement therapy.
o Microcytic-hypochromic anemias are characterized by abnormally
small erythrocytes with insufficient hemoglobin content. The
anemias result from disorders of (a) iron metabolism (IDA), (b)
porphyrin and heme synthesis (SAs), or (c) globin synthesis
(thalassemia).
o IDA is the most common type of nutritional disorder worldwide. It is
usually a result of dietary deficiency. Other major causes are
impaired absorption, increased requirement, and chronic blood
loss. IDA usually develops slowly, with a gradual insidious onset of
symptoms, which include fatigue, weakness, dyspnea, alteration of
various epithelial tissues, and vague neuromuscular complaints
result.
▪ Individuals at highest risk for developing IDA include older
adults, women, infants, teenagers eating poor diets, and
those living in poverty. Once the source of blood loss isidentified and corrected, oral iron replacement therapy can
be initiated.
o ACD, also called anemia of inflammation, results from decreased
erythropoiesis and impaired iron utilization in people with chronic
systemic disease or inflammation. ACD is common among
hospitalized individuals.
▪ Examples of mechanisms associated with ACD include (1)
decreased erythrocyte life span, (2) reduced production of
erythropoietin, (3) ineffective bone marrow response to
erythropoietin, and (4) iron sequestration in macrophages. In
particular, the proinflammatory cytokine IL-6 increases
hepatocyte release of hepcidin which suppresses ferroportin
transport of iron out of macrophages.
o AA is a critical condition characterized by a reduction or absence of
all three blood cell types (pancytopenia). Unless the cause is
determined, bone marrow aplasia results in death.
o Hemolytic anemia is a result of excessive destruction of
erythrocytes and may be acquired or hereditary. Common, acquired
forms are autoimmune reaction (immunohemolytic) and druginduced hemolysis.
o AIHAs include (a) warm reactive antibody type, (b) cold agglutinin
type, and (c) cold hemolysin type (paroxysmal cold
hemoglobinuria).
ITP
• Immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is a major cause of platelet
destruction, often affecting females, and results in hemorrhaging that
ranges from petechiae to bleeding from mucosal sites.
TTP
• Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) causes platelet aggregation
leading to microcirculatory occlusion
DIC
• DIC is a complex syndrome that results from a variety of clinical conditions
that release tissue factor, causing an increase in fibrin and thrombin
activity in the blood and producing augmented clot formation and
accelerated fibrinolysis. Sepsis is often associated with DIC.
• DIC is characterized by a cycle of intravascular clotting followed by active
bleeding caused by the initial consumption of coagulation factors and
platelets and diffuse fibrinolysis.
• Diagnosis of DIC is based on dysfunctional coagulation activity.
• Treatment is complex, nonstandardized, and focused on removing the
primary cause, restoring hemostasis, and preventing further organ
damage.Thrombocytopenia
• Thrombocytopenia is characterized by a platelet count less than
150,000/mm3 of blood; a count less than 50,000/mm3 increases the
potential for hemorrhage associated with minor trauma. 2.
• Thrombocytopenia may be congenital or acquired and primary or
secondary to other acquired or congenital conditions. Acquired
thrombocytopenia is associated with autoimmune diseases, viral
infections, nutritional deficiencies, chronic renal failure, bone marrow
hypoplasia, radiation therapy, and bone marrow infiltration by cancer.
• Most common forms of thrombocytopenia are the result of increased
platelet consumption
Pediatrics
• Shock, Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndrome, and Burns in Children
• Shock in children is present when there are signs of poor systemic
perfusion, regardless of blood pressure.
o Hypovolemic shock is the most common type of shock in children
and most frequently results from dehydration and trauma.
Hypovolemic shock also may result from expansion of the vascular
space, producing inadequate intravascular volume relative to the
vascular space.
o Hypotension is a sign of severe (preterminal), decompensated
shock, referred to as hypotensive shock.
▪ Clinical manifestations of hypovolemic shock include
inadequate systemic perfusion associated with intravascular
fluid loss. Adrenergic compensatory mechanisms can
produce tachycardia, redistribution of blood flow, peripheral
vasoconstriction, cool extremities, delayed capillary refill,
and oliguria.
o Neurogenic shock is caused by a loss of vasomotor tone after
severe injury to the spinal cord.
▪ Clinical manifestations of neurogenic shock include warm
skin, hypotension with a low diastolic blood pressure, and
poor systemic perfusion. Tachycardia is not present.
o Cardiogenic shock, with decreased cardiac output, is observed
most commonly after cardiovascular surgery or with inflammatory
diseases of the heart, such as cardiomyopathy and myocarditis. It
is also found in children with obstructive congenital heart disease
and those with drug toxicity or severe electrolyte or acid-base
imbalances.
▪ Clinical manifestations of cardiogenic shock include
inadequate systemic perfusion despite adequate
intravascular volume. Cardiac output is typically low.
Adrenergic compensatory mechanisms, including peripheralvasoconstriction and decreased urine volume, are similar to
those found in hypovolemic shock.
o Once septic shock is present, immediate treatment is urgently
needed. Therapy in the first hour includes aggressive fluid
resuscitation (typically 60 to 80 mL/kg administered in the first hour
of therapy, and approximately 200 to 240 mL/kg in the first 8 hours
of therapy). If the child does not respond to volume administration
alone, vasoactive support must be initiated within the first hour of
treatment. Antibiotics also must be administered within the first
hour. Goals of therapy are to rapidly normalize the heart rate and
blood pressure for age and to normalize capillary refill to less than 2
seconds. The child’s shock index (heart rate/systolic blood
pressure) should fall during the first hour of management if therapy
is effective. Fluid and vasoactive therapy should support high
cardiac output and oxygen delivery, maintaining the SvO2 at
approximately 70%.
o Sepsis is a systemic response to infection. It is present when
manifestations of SIRS are observed. SIRS is present when the
child demonstrates two or more of the following as an acute change
from baseline values: altered temperature, altered heart rate,
altered respiratory rate, and alteration in the WBC count. The
newborn often develops hypothermia rather than fever as a sign of
infection and may develop bradycardia instead of tachycardia.
o Severe sepsis is present when there is evidence of SIRS and
signs of organ dysfunction, hypoperfusion, or hypotension.
▪ The development of septic shock is heralded when the child
with severe sepsis develops signs of cardiovascular
dysfunction. The child may become hypotensive despite
adequate fluid resuscitation or require vasopressors to
maintain blood pressure.
▪ Reperfusion and inflammatory injury stimulate free oxygen
radicals that can damage cell membranes, denature
proteins, and disrupt chromosomes. This process likely
affects endothelial cells and the microvasculature, causing
MODS.
▪ Lactic acidosis (i.e., rise in serum lactate) may be the most
sensitive indicator of inadequate systemic perfusion in
children; effective shock therapy should eliminate lactic
acidosis.
▪ The general goals of treatment for shock are maximization of
oxygen delivery and minimization of oxygen demand. This
requires support of airway, oxygenation, and ventilation.
Support of cardiovascular function requires support of
appropriate heart rate and rhythm, adequate intravascular
volume, good myocardial function, and appropriate vascularresistance and distribution of blood flow. The child should be
kept warm, but fever must be treated promptly.
▪ The signs of shock should lessen or disappear if
management of shock is effective. The warmth of the child’s
extremities, briskness of capillary refill, quality of peripheral
pulses, level of consciousness and responsiveness, urine
volume, oxygenation, ventilation, and acid-base status
should improve throughout shock therapy.
• Burns
o Burns in children are often the result of inadequate supervision,
curiosity, inability to escape the burning agent, or nonaccidental
trauma.
o Scald injuries are commonly seen in young children and result from
exposure to hot water, grease, or other hot liquids, whereas flame
burns are more prevalent among older children.
o A child’s skin is thinner and thus more susceptible to injury than
adult skin. The kitchen and bathroom are common sites of burn
injury.
o Approximately 8% to 12% of all forms of child abuse cases in the
United States result from burn injury.
o Flame burns involving flammable liquids, most notably gasoline, are
more common in older children. Risk-taking behaviors in young
males can lead to electrical burns. Children may be exposed to
chemical injury by swallowing caustic agents at home.
o Use of the standard Rule of Nines results in inaccurate calculation
of the percentage of TBSA in children. A modified Rule of Nines
deducts 1% from the head and adds 0.5% to each leg for each year
of life after 2 years of age.
o Major burn trauma involves all body systems, and the
consequences of injury include shock, infection, hypermetabolism,
organ failure, and functional limitations. These effects can be
magnified in the pediatric population as a result of physiologic
immaturity and age-related variation in treatment modalities.
o Infection, trauma, or applying ice to the burn area may convert a
partial-thickness injury to a full-thickness one, especially in young
children, who have thinner, more delicate skin.
o Marked reduction in cardiac output occurs immediately after injury
and is accompanied by an initial increase in systemic vascular
resistance.
o The inefficient and labile peripheral circulation of the infant
complicates management of the burn shock phase of treatment. A
higher risk of chest constriction and impairment of respiratory
excursion may result because of the increased pliability of the rib
cage, especially in very young children. Younger children are also
more susceptible to increased intraabdominal pressure.o The leading cause of death in children after burn injury, as in
adults, is inhalation injury.
o Children require fluid resuscitation for smaller burns than does the
adult population as a result of limited physiologic reserves. Colloid
replacement, although controversial, may be required in the very
young child who fails to respond to fluid replacement.
o Children younger than 2 years lack the ability to concentrate urine
because of the immaturity of the renal system and are therefore at
increased risk for dehydration. Because children have a relatively
larger body surface area in relation to weight than adults, they
require proportionately increased fluid during burn shock
resuscitation to compensate for evaporative water losses.
o Some children exhibit immunosuppression for a prolonged period
after wound closure.
o A biphasic pattern of physiologic responses is evident in the burninjured child. The initial ebb phase occurs during the immediate
postburn period and continues for 3 to 5 days. This phase is
characterized by reduced oxygen consumption, impaired
circulation, and cellular shock. After this phase and the restoration
of volume, the metabolic response shifts to a catabolic, or flow,
phase. This phase is characterized by hypermetabolism with an
increased oxygen consumption and elevation of catecholamines,
glucocorticoids, and glucagon.
o Glycogen stores are limited in children, making it hard for them to
meet the increased energy demands of the burn. This prolonged
metabolic dysfunction may lead to loss of lean body mass and
increased morbidity.
o Although age was not found to be a predictor of hypertrophic
scarring, children have greater skin tension and an accelerated rate
of collagen synthesis.
o Children require specialized management to ensure optimal
functional and cosmetic results. Long-term scar and contracture
management is necessary because of changes in body
composition as the child grows and matures.
•
Pediatric Disorders
Cancer in Children
• Cancer in children and adolescents is rare, but it is still the leading cause
of death from disease in this population.
• Leukemias and brain tumors account for 61% of cancer in children from
birth to 14 years of age, with neuroblastoma and soft tissue or bone
sarcomas less common.
• The most common cancers among the adolescent and young adult
populations (15 to 39 years of age) are Hodgkin lymphoma, leukemia,germ cell tumors (particularly testicular), central nervous system (CNS)
tumors, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, thyroid cancer, melanoma, sarcomas,
and breast, cervical, liver, and colorectal cancers.
• Etiology
o The interaction of many factors most likely produces cancer in
children and adolescents, a concept referred to as multiple
causation or multifactorial etiology.
o Oncogenes and tumor-suppressor genes have been associated
with childhood and adolescent malignancies.
o Chromosomal aberrations or single-gene defects including
aneuploidy, amplifications, deletions, translocations, and fragility
are associated with the development of childhood cancer.
o Wilms tumor and retinoblastoma are pediatric malignancies that are
linked in a familial manner.
o Childhood exposure to ionizing radiation, drugs, or viruses has
been associated with the risk of developing cancer.
• Prognosis
o Nearly 85% of children and adolescents diagnosed with cancer are
cured.
o Mortality rates have declined significantly in the past 45 years
largely because of advances in treatment and increased
participation in clinical trials.
o Young children are particularly prone to long-term sequelae of
cancer therapy. The development of more effective, targeted
therapies with fewer side effects is imperative.
Growth and development
• A child's growth and development can be divided into four periods:
o Infancy
o Preschool years
o Middle childhood years
o Adolescence
• Soon after birth, an infant normally loses about 5% to 10% of their birth
weight. By about age 2 weeks, an infant should start to gain weight and
grow quickly. By age 4 to 6 months, an infant's weight should be double
their birth weight. During the second half of the first year of life, growth is
not as rapid. Between ages 1 and 2, a toddler will gain only about 5
pounds (2.2 kilograms). Weight gain will remain at about 5 pounds (2.2
kilograms) per year between ages 2 to 5. Between ages 2 to 10 years, a
child will grow at a steady pace. A final growth spurt begins at the start of
puberty, sometime between ages 9 to 15.
• The child's nutrient needs correspond with these changes in growth rates.
An infant needs more calories in relation to size than a preschooler or
school-age child needs. Nutrient needs increase again as a child gets
close to adolescence. A healthy child will follow an individual growth
curve. However, the nutrient intake may be different for each child.• Provide a diet with a wide variety of foods that is suited to the child's
age.Healthy eating habits should begin during infancy. This can help
prevent diseases such as high blood pressure and obesity
• INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT AND DIET
o Poor nutrition can cause problems with a child's intellectual
development. A child with a poor diet may be tired and unable to
learn at school. Also, poor nutrition can make the child more likely
to get sick and miss school.
o Breakfast is very important. Children may feel tired and
unmotivated if they do not eat a good breakfast. The relationship
between breakfast and improved learning has been clearly shown.
There are government programs in place to make sure each child
has at least one healthy, balanced meal a day. This meal is usually
breakfast. Programs are available in poor and underserved areas of
the United States.
Scoliosis (ortho)
• Scoliosis is a lateral curvature of the spinal column that can be caused by
congenital malformations of the spine, neuromuscular disease, trauma,
extraspinal contractures, bone infections, metabolic bone disorders, joint
disease, and tumors.
Kawasaki
• Kawasaki disease is an acute systemic vasculitis that may result in the
development of coronary artery aneurysms and thrombosis.
Alterations in children
Congenital (heart syndrome)
• Most congenital cardiovascular defects have begun to develop by the
fourth week of gestation, and most have many causes, both environmental
and genetic.
• Environmental risk factors associated with the incidence of CHD typically
are maternal conditions. Among these are viral infections, diabetes, drug
intake, alcohol intake, metabolic disorders, and advanced maternal age.
• Genetic factors associated with CHD include, but are not limited to,
trisomy 21 or Down syndrome, trisomy 13, trisomy 18, cri du chat
syndrome, and Turner syndrome. It now appears, however, that most
genetic mechanisms of causation are multifactorial.
• Classification of CHDs is based on whether they (a) cause blood flow to
the lungs to increase or decrease, (b) obstruct ventricular blood flow
patterns, or (c) cause mixing of unoxygenated and oxygenated blood.
Symptoms of HF are usually the result of CHDs that increase blood
volume and pressure in the pulmonary circulation, or myocardial failure.
Clinical manifestations are almost the same as the manifestations of HF in
adults, with the addition of FTT in children.• Cyanosis, a bluish discoloration of the skin, indicates that the tissues are
not receiving fully adequate oxygenated blood. Cyanosis can be caused
by defects that (a) reduce pulmonary blood flow; (b) overload the
pulmonary circulation, causing pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary
edema, and respiratory difficulty; and (c) cause large amounts of
unoxygenated blood to shunt from the pulmonary to the systemic
circulation.
• Congenital heart defects that maintain or create direct communication
between the pulmonary and systemic circulatory systems cause blood to
shunt from one system to another, mixing oxygenated and unoxygenated
blood and increasing blood volume and pressure on the receiving side of
the shunt.
• The direction of shunting through an abnormal communication depends on
differences in pressure and resistance between the two systems. Flow is
always from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure. The
resistance to flow determines the volume of the shunting.
• Acyanotic CHDs that increase pulmonary blood flow consist of abnormal
openings (PDA, ASD, VSD, AVC defect, or truncus arteriosus) that permit
blood to shunt from left (systemic circulation) to right (pulmonary
circulation). Cyanosis does not occur because the left-to-right shunt does
not interfere with the flow of oxygenated blood through the systemic
circulation.
• If the abnormal communication between the left and right circuits is large,
volume and pressure overload in the pulmonary circulation leads to HF.
• In truncus arteriosus the main trunk fails to divide longitudinally into the
aorta and PA. All blood from both ventricles enters the truncus so that
mixed blood is delivered by both circulatory systems, causing varying
degrees of cyanosis and HF.
• In CHDs that decrease pulmonary blood flow (TOF, tricuspid atresia),
myocardial hypertrophy cannot compensate for restricted right ventricular
outflow. Flow to the lungs decreases, and cyanosis is caused by mixing of
systemic and pulmonary venous return.
• Obstruction of ventricular outflow commonly is caused by PS, AS, COA, or
interrupted aortic arch.
o Despite obstruction, ventricular output remains normal for a long
time because of compensatory ventricular hypertrophy stimulated
by increased afterload and, in postductal COA, development of
collateral circulation around the coarctation.
• Complex CHDs that depend on mixing of the pulmonary and systemic
circulations for survival during the postnatal period include TGA, HLHS,
and TAPVC. This mixing results in desaturated systemic blood flow and
cyanosis.
o In TGA the circulatory systems are not connected serially or
through a shunt so that oxygenated blood remains permanently in
the pulmonary circulation and unoxygenated blood remains in the
systemic circulation. Survival depends on patency of the ductusarteriosus; in the absence of patency, surgical intervention is
mandatory.
o TAPVC is caused by abnormal pulmonary vein development and
the lack of direct pulmonary venous return to the LA. All blood from
the pulmonary and systemic circulations enters the RA. Mixed
blood enters the LA through an ASD; it then flows into the systemic
circulation and causes cyanosis.
o Tricuspid atresia [left] and HLHS [right] are types of single-ventricle
defects that commonly require three staged palliative surgical
procedures.
• Treatment for all hemodynamically severe CHDs is surgical or
interventional palliation of the anomaly and management of cyanosis and
HF
•
Patent Ductus Arteriosus
• Unclosed hole in the aorta that allows blood to skip the circulation to the
lungs
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
• SIDS is a diagnosis of exclusion after thorough investigation and autopsy
following sudden death of an infant younger than 1 year of age. Usually
the event occurs during nighttime sleep.
• The cause is unknown. However, some known risk factors are avoidable,
such as maternal smoking, prone sleeping, using soft bedding surfaces,
and overheating of the infant.
• The incidence of SIDS has decreased significantly since public health
campaigns have encouraged the supine sleeping position for babies.
Asthma
• Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by bronchial
hyperreactivity and reversible airflow obstruction; it usually occurs in
response to an allergen and has episodes of acute respiratory symptoms
(cough, wheeze, dyspnea) and intermittent or chronic subacute
symptoms.
• It is the most common chronic condition in children and results from
genetic susceptibility and environmental factors with varying phenotypes.
• Environmental triggers cause inflammatory cell infiltration, mucosal
edema, mucus plugging of airways, and epithelial damage with obstruction
to airflow and long-term remodeling of airways.
•
Lead poisoning and effects on neurological functioning
• Lead encephalopathy and is responsible for serious and irreversible
neurologic damage
• Children less than 72 months of age are at greatest risk along with pica or
those living in lead-contaminated environment• Lead intoxication also may occur from long-term exposure to smelters,
sniffing of lead-containing solvents, exposure to lead-based paint, and
ingestion of airborne lead or contaminated food and water
• Developmental delays and encephalopathy with ataxia, stupor, coma,
seizures, and death
Sickle cell
• Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an autosomal recessive condition resulting in
defects in the β-globin units of the hemoglobin molecule. Conditions
resulting in decreased oxygen tension result in polymerization of the
abnormal hemoglobin, causing the RBC to take on the characteristic
sickled shape. SCD is most common among Africans, blacks, and those of
Mediterranean descent.
Hemophilia
• Hemophilias A and B are characterized by hereditary deficiencies in
coagulation factors resulting in a decreased ability to form blood clots in
response to injury. Because transmission is X-linked recessive,
hemophilia occurs almost exclusively in males.
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