In: Nursing
If you were a nutritionist and worked in a hospital in the cardiac unit and discovered that many 30 day readmissions were from Long Term Care Facilities where liberalized sodium diets are considered quality of life for these patients what would you do?
ANSWER:-
* Sodium is a key mineral which helps the body to keep right amount of fluid in blood stream.
* Right amount of sodium in diet is very essential .
* Too much of sodium can cause water retention of fluid and and worsen the symptoms like weight gain,swelling etc in cardiac patients .
* Several observational studies have suggeated that more liberal sodium diets have no harmful effects in patients with cardiac disease.
* Sevaral randomized controlled trials imply that dietary sodium, restrictions can cause harm through hypovolemia and increased neurohormonal activation.
* The dietary sodium in take need to be individually tailored based on severity of cardiac conditions and the physiologic responce to sodium loading .
* Especially in diuretic therapy and fluid restriction , sodium restriction may increase sympathetic and renin angiotensin -aldosterone system activation by contributing to intravascular volume depletion .
* Studies conducted in cardiac inpatients with sodium restrictions (800mg/24 hrs) and fluid restriction to liberal sodium and fluid intake showed no significant differences in weight loss,urine output,clinical improvement,,amount of diuretic used,or time of discharge.Readmission rates at 30 days were similar between the two groups.
* SO LIBERAL SODIUM INTAKE DOES NOT MAKE MUCH CHANGE IN ELDERLY WITH CARDIAC DISEASES ,CLOSE MONITORING AND ,MEDICATIONS ARE MORE IMPORTANT.
* AVOID PACKAGED FOOD AND DRINKS .