Pulmonary heart disease is a heart disease caused by chronic bronchitis, obstructive emphysema, bronchiectasis, tuberculosis, bronchial asthma and pneumoconiosis, which leads to right ventricular hypertrophy and even develops into right heart failure. Due to the slow development of the disease, it often takes years or decades to develop into cor pulmonale, so it is more common in the elderly and is a systemic disease caused by cardiopulmonary dysfunction.
The main clinical symptoms of cor pulmonale are different degrees of long-term cough, expectoration and dyspnea, especially after exercise or in cold season. During the compensatory period of cardiopulmonary function, patients may have no symptoms when they are quiet, and once they are slightly active, they will have symptoms such as shortness of breath, shortness of breath, palpitation, precordial pain, fatigue and chest tightness.
What are the symptoms and complications of pulmonary heart disease?
The main complication of cor pulmonale is pulmonary encephalopathy, which is also the most dangerous complication. Early headache, irritability, decreased vision, trance, lethargy and even coma. In severe cases, it can cause cerebral hemorrhage and cerebral hernia. When the respiratory and circulatory centers are compressed, the patient may die suddenly. Followed by gastrointestinal bleeding, which can lead to blood pressure drop and shock due to massive bleeding or disseminated intravascular coagulation. Complicated with acid-base imbalance and electrolyte imbalance can cause various arrhythmia and liver and kidney dysfunction, which is an important cause of death of cor pulmonale.
How to nurse elderly patients with cor pulmonale
The development of cor pulmonale has serious consequences, which brings difficulties to nursing. In addition to active treatment during infection, such as adequate and effective anti-infection treatment, expectorant, spasmolytic and antiasthmatic treatment, rational use of oxygen (oxygen containing 5% carbon dioxide), keeping respiratory tract unobstructed and strengthening nursing care, etc., should arouse the attention of patients' families. Because the elderly patients with cor pulmonale have serious illness, great changes and weak body resistance, it is very important to find the changes in their illness in time and deal with them in time, which can win valuable time for rescue and active treatment of complications.
Generally speaking, the first thing a nurse should think about is how to arrange the patient's diet. According to experience, the ideal diet for patients is a vegetarian diet, eat more fruits and liver containing vitamin C and vitamin E, and eat some lean meat and eggs in moderation, but not too much, so as not to increase the burden on the kidneys.
Nurses should also prevent patients from fatigue, from participating in activities that increase the load of cardiopulmonary function, from inhaling cold and harmful gases, from pneumoconiosis, from persuading patients to quit smoking, and from treating upper respiratory tract infections and acute bronchitis in time. Keep warm. Prevent fumes from irritating the respiratory tract of patients, keep the air fresh and pay attention to indoor ventilation. Help patients strengthen physical exercise, such as jogging, walking, playing Tai Ji Chuan, table tennis, etc. Enhance the body's adaptability and resistance to the outside world.
Because cor pulmonale is most likely to get worse in cold season, winter is the "death gate" for patients with cor pulmonale. So prevention is the most important. To increase the ability to keep out the cold, we must first carry out cold training. The method is: since spring, after rubbing red hands every day, rub the head, face and limbs for 10 minute, and rub the exposed parts of the whole body several times a day, all year round; Wash your nose with cold water every day since summer; Wash your face with cold water from autumn to winter. Strengthen warmth, wear hats, scarves, masks and thick shoes and socks when going out in winter. Ensure the indoor temperature, and don't catch cold at night. If proper measures are taken, patients can spend the winter safely.