The Way Problems with Cellular Respiration Lead to Heart Failure

Heart failure represents a major and rising public health issues, when one is diagnosed with heart failure, they possess abnormality in their cardiac structure or function. The most common cases involve ventricular myocardial systolic or diastolic dysfunction or both.

In the recent case study, Mrs Brown admitted to ED with severe breathlessness or dyspnoea which is a common symptom of CHF. Dyspnoea is concerned with a shortness and discomfort in breath. This however had been diagnosed with a level of severity in Ms Brown’s case due to her abnormal respiratory rate of 24 breaths/minute. This prompts further complications and can respectively be a result of hypoxia. Furthermore, hypoxia is due to a reduction in the amount of oxygen present in bodily tissues that is below physiologically adequate levels. The deficiency in oxygen can be a result of the haemoglobin reduced ability to release oxygen as it normally functions.

The systemic circulation’s role in oxygen delivery results as a product of cardiac output and arterial oxygen concentration. However, when there is a normal level of arterial oxygen concentration in the presence of an inadequate oxygen tissue supply, heart failure may occur. This explains Ms Brown’s examined levels of O2 being 85% with room air. Additional to this, Ms Brown’s pulse rate was an incredibly high 120 beats/minute. This finding proves that her heartbeat is irregular and presents another issue concerning tachycardia. Accordingly, the pumping of blood is not effective and deprives the rest of her body from the oxygen it requires. As her heart cannot pump enough blood, her body lacks the oxygen necessary for metabolic processes.

As the nurse tested Ms Brown using an ECG machine, the papers confirmed atrial fibrillation as a result her heart failure including the clinical manifestation of dyspnoea, hypoxia, tachycardia. These circumstances result in poor blood flow which must be treated immediately to avoid further complications for Ms Brown. Ms Brown’s records show that she has a history of diagnosis regarding heart failure which had been noted two years ago. The appearance of these clinical manifestations prove that her case is a matter of chronic heart failure. Most patients developing heart failure presented to hospital require appropriate treatment, to improve their current health status. The nurse is a key element in this situation by monitoring and reporting any changes in the patient’s condition.

Body cells use oxygen to transfer energy stored in food to a usable form. This process, which is called cellular respiration, allows the cells to harness energy to perform vital functions. This includes powering muscles (including involuntary muscles such as the heart) and the movement of materials into and out of cells. Without oxygen in the body, cells can function for a limited period. Long-term oxygen depletion leads to cell death and eventually death of the organism. Cells also use oxygen to assist in cellular respiration. This type of respiration is called aerobic cellular respiration. In this process stored energy is converted into a usable form, chiefly by reacting glucose and oxygen through an intermediate. The first stage of aerobic cellular respiration, glycolysis, can be performed without oxygen. However, if oxygen is not present, cellular respiration cannot continue past this stage.

Accordingly, there are a plethora of strategies nurses should follow. Specific to Mrs Brown’s case, on admission they noticed that she suffers from severe dyspnoea or difficulties of breathing. Additionally, her oxygen saturation was 85% in room air so the nurse’s urgent and immediate action is to apply oxygen in attempt of counteracting for the inadequate oxygen that is present in Ms Brown’s body and ultimately manage her situation.