[Solved] Mr. C., a 32-year-old single male Obesity Case Study

Case Study: Mr. C., an Obese 32-year-old single male 

Clinical manifestations present in Mr. C include obesity, sleep apnea, high blood pressure, shortness of breath, swollen ankles, and pruritus. The patient reports that he has always been heavy and has gained about 100 pounds within the last three years. Although previous medical evaluations do not indicate any metabolic disease, the patient reports that he has been experiencing obstructive sleep apnea that is characterized by breathing difficulties. The patient has also been experiencing shortness of breath when performing duties that involve physical activity. Mr. C has been experiencing itchy skin, swollen ankles for the last six months, and an abnormal fasting blood glucose level, which indicates that his body lacks enough insulin. He has a relatively high respiration rate of up to 26 breaths per minute, indicating an obstructive airway possibility.

Some potential health risks for obesity concerning Mr. C include hypertension, coronary artery disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. The patient has been experiencing symptoms of high blood pressure, such as elevated heart rate and a high respiration rate. He is, therefore, at risk of progression of hypertension to an advanced state. Due to obesity, the patient’s heart has to work harder to pump blood through his body, which results from straining in the arteries. Eventually, the patient’s brain capillaries might break due to the high blood pressure resulting in a stroke. Plagues may also build up in the arteries that supply blood to the heart’s walls, causing narrowing or blockage that could result in coronary artery disease or a heart attack (Csige et al., 2018). Since the patient has an abnormal fasting blood glucose level that indicates insufficient insulin, his condition could progress to type 2 diabetes. Bariatric surgery would be an effective intervention to alleviate the patient’s obesity and reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular conditions. According to English and Williams (2018), bariatric surgery is an effective therapy for individuals with extreme obesity as it reverses, ameliorates, or eliminates major cardiovascular risk factors to restore the patient’s health. Bariatric surgery is, therefore, an appropriate intervention for Mr. C’s condition.

Mr. C reports that he has always been heavy since childhood and has high blood pressure. In an attempt to restore his health and prevent further progression of obesity and hypertension, Mr. C has been restricting dietary sodium. Although such a strategy is often used to regulate hypertension, Mr. C’s attempt to restore his health fails to address his obesity. He ought to adopt a dietary habit that discourages excessive intake of fats from avoiding gaining extra weight and increasing his predisposition to type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Despite living with obesity since childhood, Mr. C has not managed to reduce his weight. He ought to have engaged in healthy behaviors, such as conducting regular physical exercise, to manage his weight. The patient has also been experiencing sleep apnea and signs of high blood pressure. He ought to have sought medical attention to alleviate such symptoms rather than requesting bariatric surgery while ignoring the underlying conditions. Restricting dietary sodium without a clinician’s advice could also attract adverse health implications such as increased insulin resistance, heart failure, and stroke. Mr. C has also been experiencing shortness of breath with activity, swollen ankles, and pruritus over the last 6 months without seeking medical care. He ought to have seen a clinician upon identifying the primary symptoms to reduce the risk of disease progression.

The end-stage renal disease occurs when the gradual loss of kidney function reaches an advanced stage in which a person’s kidneys can no longer conduct their function. The condition limits the kidneys’ capacity to filter waste and excess fluid from the blood, resulting in dangerous fluid levels in the blood and the body’s building up of electrolytes and waste. To determine the extent of the progression of end-stage renal disease, caregivers ought to consider factors such as blood pressure, level of urine output, presence of shortness of breath, and fatigue. Assessing such symptoms could help establish the severity of kidney failure and develop appropriate interventions.

Mr. C needs to be educated on how to manage his weight, control blood pressure, and maintain healthy blood glucose levels. Obesity constitutes a critical factor for renal problems as it attracts high blood pressure and causes abnormalities in the level of insulin in the blood. The patient, therefore, needs to be educated regarding lifestyle changes that could help in weight management to minimize the risk of disease progression. He also needs to be informed about various strategies that could help reduce hypertension’s severity, such as a controlled diet and regular physical exercise. While type 2 diabetes remains a common cause of end-stage renal disease, the patient needs to be informed about measures and lifestyle changes that could help to avoid the deterioration of his renal status.

Some resources that could help end-stage renal disease patients improve their health include using gastric bands, dialysis treatments, and the consumption of kidney disease-friendly meals. Patients in non-acute care could use gastric bands to manage their weight. Such bands are placed around the top portion of the stomach to help avoid excessive food intake by allowing a small portion available for food. They could also seek dialysis treatment to improve the capacity of kidneys to filter blood without involving hospitalization. Such patients could also consume kidney disease-friendly meals, such as frozen vegetables, to replace canned vegetables. Such strategies could reduce the need for prolonged hospitalization and help address return-to-employment issues often experienced by patients who spend time receiving hospitalized care.

References

Csige, I., Ujvárosy, D., Szabó, Z., Lőrincz, I., Paragh, G., Harangi, M., & Somodi, S. (2018). The impact of obesity on the cardiovascular system. Journal of diabetes research, 2018. https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jdr/2018/3407306/

English, W. J., & Williams, D. B. (2018). Metabolic and bariatric surgery: an effective treatment option for obesity and cardiovascular disease. Progress in cardiovascular diseases, 61(2), 253-269. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S003306201830121X