NURS 6501 Week 5 Assignment; MindMap - Acute Pancreatitis

2 Acute Pancreatitis Concept Map Primary Diagnosis: Acute pancreatitis 1. Describe the pathophysiology of the primary diagnosis in your own words. What are the patient’s risk factors for this diagnosis? Pathophysiology of Primary Diagnosis Pancreatitis begins with localized inflammation either from obstruction or toxicity of the pancreatic cells themselves. Once the inflammatory process starts, it progresses to enzyme activation essentially causing the pancreas to digest itself which can lead to necrosis. Causes Risk Factors (genetic/ethnic/physical) • Ethanol abuse (McCance & Ethnic risks include an increased incidence Huether, 2019) rate in African Americans (Weiss et. al., • Gallstones(Weiss et. al., 2021) 2021). Physical and environmental risks • Medications (McCance & Huether, 2019) include alcohol consumption, smoking, • Strictures (Weiss et. al., 2021) obesity (McCance & Huether, 2019) • Masses (Weiss et. al., 2021) Genetic and family history include the PRSS1 • Peptic ulcers (McCance & Huether, 2019) gene (Weiss et. al., 2021) and cystic fibrosis • High triglyceride levels (McCance (McCance & Huether, 2019) & Huether, 2019) • Trauma to abdomen (Weiss et. al., 2021) 2. What are the patient’s signs and symptoms for this diagnosis? How does the diagnosis impact other body systems and what are the possible complications? Signs and Symptoms – Common presentation How does the diagnosis impact each body 4 Huether, 2019). • Genitourinary system- due to the hypovolemia that can occur, renal blood flow may be impacted leading to decreased kidney perfusion (McCance & Huether, 2019) • Nervous system- the central and peripheral nervous system undergo an increase in activity due to the inflammatory response. The patient may experience an increase in pain activity (Garg & Singh, 2019). 3. What are other potential diagnosis that present in a similar way to this diagnosis (differentials)? As previously discussed, the typical clinical presentation of possible fever, tachycardia, hypotension, epigastric pain, the presence of decreased bowel sounds, and possible abdominal distention (McCance & Huether, 2019). Pancreatitis is consistent with similar clinical presentation of peptic ulcer disease, cholangitis, cholecystitis, bowel obstruction or perforation, acute hepatitis, diabetic ketoacidosis, myocardial infarction, aortic dissection, renal colic, and basilar pneumonia (Leese, 2023) and serves as appropriate differential diagnosis. 4. What diagnostic tests or labs would you order to rule out the differentials for this patient or confirm the primary diagnosis? 6 hemodynamic status and consultation with the Intensivists may also be required. References