Chronic Condition Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Chronic Condition - Essay Example ferrals the patient needs. The goals of this are established to ensure a thorough assessment of chronic diseases and their impact on patient’s physiology, as well as their psychology. Body End-stage renal disease, according to Patel (2009) is the â€Å"complete, or almost complete, failure of the kidneys to function. The kidneys can no longer remove wastes, concentrate urine, and regulate many other important body functions†. This disease can come about when the kidneys are no longer able to carry out their normal function. It is often seen with the kidneys functioning at less than 10% of normal functions (Patel, 2009). This disease is known to worsen within 10-20 years, before reaching end-stage levels. Patients at this stage require dialysis or a kidney transplant. Mostly, this disease is caused by diabetes and hypertension. In end-stage renal disease, the urine volume may decrease or may even stop, and patients afflicted with this disease require tests to assess the levels of the following: potassium, sodium, albumin, phosphorous, calcium, cholesterol, magnesium, complete blood count, and electrolytes (Patel, 2009). These tests would help establish the general condition of the patient and establish the necessary remedies which must be undertaken to ensure adequate care. Experience of your patient compared with the typical lived experience of those with this condition Donna, 37 years old, was first admitted two years prior to her current admission, with complaints of insomnia and frequent headaches. She expressed that she often woke up in the middle of the night and had trouble getting back to sleep soon after. She also experienced increasing bouts of headaches which could not be relieved by pain relievers. She also described feeling generally weak and easily exhausted. She also complained of hiccupping frequently, sometimes burping frequently, even when she has not eaten anything. Her husband also noted that she seemed to be darker as compared to before when she had lighter skin. She then sought consult with her GP who ordered some initial tests including blood work and urinalysis. Her initial results, prompted more tests to be undertaken until repeated confirmatory tests indicated that she had high creatinine levels which strongly indicated a diagnosis of chronic kidney disease. She was later admitted for AV Fistula (AVF) surgery in preparation for her dialysis. A month after her AVF, she was scheduled for dialysis. A kidney transplant was also recommended for her. Initial cross-matching tests from immediate relatives revealed no organ matches. In the meantime, her name was entered in the waiting list for patients needing new kidneys. Meanwhile, she was required to have weekly injections of erythropoietin, as well as daily medications for a variety of drugs which are meant to manage her potassium, sodium, as well as blood pressure. After one year from her initial consultation, her creatinine levels increased to levels re quiring dialysis.