ILLNESS AND DISEASE MANAGEMENT ACROSS LIFE SPAN:
QUESTION:
Consider a 12-year-old and 75-year-old have one of the following illnesses:
- COPD
- Asthma
- Heart Failure
- Cancer
- Describe the chronic illness trajectory for the selected illness based on the patient’s age.
- How does the chronically ill patient’s illness trajectory influence the plan of care?
MUST CITE WHERE INFOMATION IS FROM ANS SOURCE WILL BE CHECKED NO WIKIPEDIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SPELL CHECK AND PROOFREAD!
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Introduction:
As a medical professor, understanding how chronic illnesses manifest and evolve is essential in providing the best care to patients. In this assignment, we will focus on chronic illness trajectories for COPD, asthma, heart failure, and cancer, and how age affects these trajectories.
Answer:
COPD:
In a 12-year-old patient, COPD is rare, but if it occurs, it is mostly due to inherited lung disorders (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, 2021). In contrast, in a 75-year-old patient, it is likely due to smoking, long-term exposure to air pollutants or occupational dust, or occupational exposure to fumes and chemicals. A 75-year-old patient with COPD may experience irreversible lung function impairment and an increased risk of acute exacerbation (Osadnik et al., 2020). Therefore, the chronic illness trajectory of COPD in a 75-year-old patient is likely to be worse than a 12-year-old patient.
The chronically ill patient’s illness trajectory influences the plan of care by emphasizing disease management, palliative care, health education, and the involvement of the patient and their family members in decision-making processes (Osadnik et al., 2020). Planning for care in elderly patients with COPD will focus on symptom management, mental health issues caused by breathlessness, and improving patients’ quality of life (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, 2021).
Asthma:
Asthma is typically a lifelong condition, with most patients experiencing symptoms in childhood (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, 2021). Age affects the asthma trajectory since airway inflammation and increased bronchial hyperreactivity decrease with age (Porsbjerg & Sverrild, 2019). In children, environmental factors like air pollution, allergens, and respiratory viruses play a significant role in asthma severity. On the other hand, in elderly patients, concurrent medical conditions such as heart disease, hypertension, and pulmonary infections can worsen asthma symptoms (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, 2021).
The chronic illness trajectory of asthma in children emphasizes controlling asthma symptoms and reducing asthma attacks. Planning for care in elderly patients with asthma will focus on managing the asthma symptoms and related comorbidities (Porsbjerg & Sverrild, 2019). Maintaining physical activity, respiratory muscle training, and pneumococcal and flu vaccines are also recommended for elderly patients with asthma.
Heart Failure:
Age is a critical factor in determining the chronic illness trajectory of heart failure. In younger patients, heart failure is likely due to genetic, congenital, or infectious causes, whereas in elderly patients, heart failure is usually caused by hypertension, coronary artery disease, or valvular heart disease (National Institute on Aging, 2021). Therefore, the chronic illness trajectory of heart failure may be longer in younger patients than in elderly patients.
The plan of care must consider individualized management to prevent hospitalization, reduce symptoms, and improve the patients’ quality of life. The management of elderly patients with heart failure also focuses on identifying and treating comorbidities that may exacerbate or contribute to heart failure, such as diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and anemia (National Institute on Aging, 2021).
Cancer:
Cancer can manifest at any age, and age is one of the risk factors in cancer development (National Cancer Institute, 2018). In general, elderly patients have a higher risk of developing cancer than younger patients, and their prognosis may be worse (National Cancer Institute, 2018). The trajectory of cancer will depend on its stage and treatment aggressiveness.
The plan of care will depend on the type and stage of cancer, the patient’s age, and their overall health. Treatment options for elderly cancer patients may be limited due to comorbidities and medication interactions (National Cancer Institute, 2018). Palliative care may be the best option for elderly patients with advanced cancer, focusing on the relief of symptoms and improving the patient’s quality of life.
Conclusion:
The chronic illness trajectory of COPD, asthma, heart failure, and cancer can be influenced by age, environmental factors, underlying comorbidities, and treatment options. The plan of care for chronically ill patients must be individualized and consider the patient’s age, medical history, and goals of care. Palliative care is an essential aspect of care for elderly patients with advanced chronic illnesses.
