Question

Case Study

Dr. Danilo Ocampo is a 74-year-old retired pathologist. He lives in his home with Lydia, his wife of 51 years. Their only child, a son, was killed at age 22 in a motor vehicle crash. Dr. Ocampo was born and raised in the Philippines and came to the United States when he was 23. He has a few nephews and nieces in the Philippines, but no relatives live nearby.

Dr. Ocampo's health has been declining for the past few years. He has a medical history that includes hypertension, myocardial infarction, angina, and class 2 heart failure. Because of these cardiovascular disorders, he takes multiple medications, including metoprolol, lisinopril, spironolactone, furosemide (intermittently as needed), potassium supplements (when taking furosemide), aspirin, isosorbide dinitrate, and nitroglycerin. He is concerned his current treatment plan may not be effective; he experiences a number of side effects from his medications and has been admitted multiple times to the hospital. He usually feels better after a few days in the hospital but typically checks himself out of the hospital before his physicians are ready to discharge him.

Dr. Ocampo's spends most of his time and energy managing the household and caring for his wife, who has dementia.

Question 1

What interventions can you initiate to help Dr. Ocampo minimize the side effects of the multiple medications he is taking?

Question 2

What nutritional assessment would be appropriate for Dr. Ocampo. Why?

Question 3

Should you intervene to help Dr. Ocampo accept help with the care of Lydia to decrease his own stress and improve his health? Explain your answer.

Answer 1

1.The side effects of multiple medications can be reduced in the following way

• Do not take all medication at a time ,split the medication according to time .This will reduce drug interaction and it's side effects
• Encourage the patient to take the appropriate medications before or after food in order to aide right absorption. This can prevent rapid entering of drug into systwmic circulation
• Form a list of medication in accordance to timing
• Do not overdose

2.The nutritional assessment which will be appropriate are

• Dietary calorie intake assessment to balance the body with enough calorie to stay active throughout the day
• Biochemical parameters as Eric the order
• Anthropometric reading
• Clinical assessment for any abnormal signs and symptoms

4.The patient is an elderly client with multiple medical conditions related to cardiovascular issues. He needs adequate rest both physically and emotionally to stay active.Caribg for his wife all alone at this age with physical illness can be a greater challenge and tiring task. So a nursing aide /care taker /personal support worker can be assigned to help his wife and reduce his stress. This can improve the health status of both.