Reflecting on Pathophysiology: Connecting the Dots Across Diseases and Their Impact on Health

Instructions

Here is the case study for week 12:

______________________

How will your clinical practice improve with the integration of the course content? Consider providing a picture/photo/image that reflects your experiences this semester in what you have learned, the challenges, and your goals.

This week your discussion posts are your thoughts and applications of your newfound knowledge from this course; no references are needed. But two posts are expected. Please be candid. Share how you have already applied your expanded perception of pathophysiology. Have you had a clinical experience where suddenly a light goes on and the dots of physiology are connected?

Solution

Reflecting on Pathophysiology

This week’s discussion is a reflection of the experience and knowledge gained throughout the course. From the beginning of the course, the discussions have focused on the pathophysiology of several illnesses, from fibrosis to migraine on week 11. Through these discussions, I have gained much knowledge about diseases and their influence on the immune system, health, finance, and social life (Brown et al., 2017).

I have learned that all diseases have one common thing, which is the deterioration of one’s health. All illnesses have a negative impact on one’s health. For example, cystic fibrosis is associated with lung problems that are detrimental to one’s health (Brown et al., 2017). The associated problems such as ciliary dysfunction increased inflammatory mediators and increased bacterial colonization with pathogens such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, lead to lung infection in cystic fibrosis.

Another thing I have learned is that diseases cause injury to the body through different pathways (pathophysiological mechanisms). For instance, the pathophysiology of cystic fibrosis is different from that of rhabdomyolysis and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). It is for this reason that there are different treatment regimens for different diseases (Brown et al., 2017). I have also learned that people tend to have different experiences (signs and symptoms) based on pathophysiology. However, there are some illnesses with almost similar signs and symptoms.

For instance, while cystic fibrosis damages the lung, migraine has nothing to do with the lung. Headache can be a common characteristic; however, several signs and symptoms differentiate the two (Brown et al., 2017). Although these differences emerge, the dot connects all the diseases in the sense that they all have a detrimental impact on an individual’s health status. Throughout the cause, it has been an amazing experience learning new ideas, getting instructor feedback, and receiving peer responses. One major challenge I experienced is searching for credible information or resources regarding the pathophysiology of these diseases.

Furthermore, I have applied the things I learned at the workplace by trying to understand patients’ experiences and offer them education explaining to them why they have certain feelings. I apply this knowledge by trying to understand the purpose of every medication provided based on disease pathophysiology. Additionally, patients do not understand certain feelings, or signs associated with different diseases and, hence, may question treatment. To avoid doubt and make them understand their situation, I tend to explain to them their feelings based on the pathophysiology perspective.

References

Brown, S. D., White, R., & Tobin, P. (2017). Keep them breathing: Cystic fibrosis pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment. Journal of the American Academy of PAs, 30(5), 23-27. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.JAA.0000515540.36581.92