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Pathophysiology of anorexia nervosa research paper
Pathophysiology of anorexia nervosa research paper
Pathophysiology of anorexia nervosa research paper
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Anorexia Nervosa (AN) is an eating disorder with the highest mortality rate of any other mental disorder. The National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders characterizes the disorder as “a relentless pursuit of thinness and unwillingness to maintain a normal or healthy body weight”. (2014) Individuals also experience a “distortion of body image, intense fear of gaining weight and extremely disturbed eating behavior.” (National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Related Disorders, 2014) As a result, they experience complications physically, mentally and socially. About 80% of individuals with eating disorders suffer from cardiac complications with death due to arrhythmias being the most common cause. This paper will focus on the connection between AN and cardiovascular rhythm disturbances. Individuals with this disorder have an increased chance of sudden death due to cardiovascular abnormalities like bradycardia, myocardial modification including atrophy and refeeding syndrome. (Casiero & Frishman, 2006)
Individuals with AN keep their body in a state of starvation. Their body must function without the sustenance that it needs to continue functioning. Bradycardia is the most common heart arrhythmia for individuals with this disorder. As a result of the caloric deficit, the body tries to decrease cardiac work by reducing cardiac output. (Casiero & Frishman, 2006). The baroreceptor reflex is the body’s mechanism to regulate blood pressure through use of baroreceptors, which then transmits information to the brainstem. The vagal nerve receives this information, then sends impulses to the sinus node to slow the beat of the heart. (Kollai et al, 1994) A study published in the Oxford Heart Journal measured cardiac va...
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...hological effects of AN however there is a lot of emphasis placed on cardiovascular effects because a large percentage of patients have these problems. Bradycardia due to an increased in vagal nerve impulses along with lack of nutrition may contribute to atrophy of the heart. In addition, different areas of the heart may atrophy more than others. These myocardial modifications have a significant impact on electrical pathways and blood flow. All of these conditions contribute to the most life threatening condition, a prolonged QT interval. This is a large predicator of arrhythmias and sudden death. The condition can be caused by myocardial modifications, electrolyte disturbances and refeeding syndrome that are all a result of the eating disorder. In conclusion, there is a significant correlation between AN and sudden death due to cardiovascular rhythm disturbances.
This also caused an increase in demand of oxygen to the cardiac muscle so it’s not a good thing (Ignatavicius &Workman, 2013, p. 747).
Anorexia Nervosa placed third behind asthma and type 1 diabetes as the most chronic disease which affects young people. It is estimated that teens and young adults betwixt the ages 15 and 24 who suffer from Anorexia have 10 times the chance of dying when compared to those of similar age. Of individuals with anorexia, only .25% are males which is why most times its after death males are identified as being anorexic. About 10% individuals die from complications of the disease. That number duplicates to about 20% if combined with the patients who have anorexia and who suicide, thus making it the most life-threatening and fatal mental disease in
middle of paper ... ... Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association 88 (1993): 353-57. AHA Journals. Web.
Each year millions of people in the United States develop serious and often fatal eating disorders. More than ninety percent of those are adolescent and young women. The consequences of eating disorders are often severe--one in ten end in death from either starvation, cardiac arrest, or suicide. Due to the recent awareness of this topic, much time and money has been attributed to eating disorders. Many measures have been taken to discover leading causes and eventual treatment for those suffering from anorexia. (http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource ...er.html#Causes of Eating Disorders) )
Obesity is becoming a major health problem in developing countries like Australia, North America, Europe and other developing nations. The Australian Diabetes, obesity and life style study (AUSDIAB) predicts the changes in glucose indices; health behaviour and incidence of diabetes in 5 year follow up experiments among 5842 participants (Barr et al., 2007). This study suggests that a large number of Australians suffered mortality due to cardiovascular diseases associated with abnormal glucose metabolism every year. The Framingham Heart Study revealed that hypertension, diabetes and left ventricular remodelling lead to the development of congestive heart failure (Levy et al., 1996). The Framingham Heart Study also found that a 5% increase in weight increases the chance of hypertension by 30% over a four-year period of time. An increased sympathetic activity, impaired renin-angiotensin system, retention of fluid volume, peripheral vasoconstriction, dyslipidaemia, increased blood viscosity due to the increased haematocrit and fibrinogen may increase pressure overload on heart in obesity (Schunkert, 2002). Several studies also suggest that the cause of hypertension itself may contribute to left ventricular hypertrophy in obese individuals as the increase of BMI increases the chance of hypertension (De Simone et al., 1994; Avelar et al., 2007). High dietary fat intake increases the expression of angiotensin IB(AT1B) and Endothelin A (ETA) receptors (Neilsen et al., 2004; Zhang et al., 2005). Plasma concentrations of angiotensin II and endothelin 1 (physiological vasoconstrictor agents) were increased in both obese patients and animal models (Barton et al., 2000; Neilsen et al., 2004; Zhang et al., 2005). Recent studies have shown that reduced synthesis of nitric oxide (NO; a major vasodilator) from L-arginine in endothelial cells is a major factor contributing to the impaired action of insulin in the vasculature of obese and diabetic subjects. Obesity results from an imbalance between energy intake and expenditure. Growing evidence suggests that arginine plays an important role in regulating metabolism of energy substrates in mammals (Frank et al. 2007; Jobgen et al. 2006). NO is synthesized from L-arginine by NO synthase. As a signalling molecule, physiological levels of NO stimulate glucose uptake, as well as glucose and fatty-acid oxidation in skeletal muscle, heart, liver, and adipose tissues (Jobgen et al. 2006). Nitric oxide also inhibits the synthesis of glucose, glycogen and lipid in liver and adipose tissues and enhances lipolysis in subcutaneous adipocytes (Jobgen et al.
Anorexia is a serious and life threatening condition. It can result in death due to starvation, heart failure, or electrolyte imbalance. The first step in helping someone suffering with anorexia is to diagnose the physical characteristics attributed with the disease...
Huether, S.E. & McCance, K.L. (2008). Understanding pathophysiology (4th ed.). St. Philadelphia, PA: Mosby Elsevier
Anorexia is a mental illness that can be identified by its victims starving themselves in order to drop weight to dangerous levels. Most often, anorexics will restrict their food or exercise excessively in order to decrease their body weight. Anorexia has the highest mortality rate of any mental illness. This is mainly due to suicide and the complications that occur consequently from starvation. These complications include heart and kidney failure as well as osteoporosis and muscle atrophy. Females may also stop menstruating. The gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, and endocrine systems may also be affected. Thus, Anorexia has detrimental effects on a person’s physical and mental health.
All Eating Disorders lead to various health complications and may ultimately result in the death of the sufferer. For instance, Anorexia Nervosa has the highest mortality rate of all psychiatric disorders, as 5 to 9% of Anorexics will die from it (Nolen-Hoeksema, Susan. (2013). Abnormal psychology (6th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.). Anorexia Nervosa and Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (EDNOS) in its restrictive/subtreshold Anorexia subtype may cause severe organ dysfunction due to extreme malnourishment. These problems include, but are not limited to, cardiac, hepatic, renal, and neurological failure.
Introduction: In year 10, biology, we have been studying the heart: the functions of the heart, the parts of the heart (ventricle, atrium) and heart problems. We have also been studying the heart rate of humans. We were asked to create an experiment to see what affects heart rate. We discovered that diet, stress, cholesterol levels, excitement, mass, age, temperature and exercise affect the heart.
In 1978, Brunch called anorexia nervosa a 'new disease' and noted that the condition seemed to overtake ?the daughters of the well-to-do, educated and successful families.? Today it is acknowledged and accepted that anorexia affects more than just one gender or socio-economic class; however, much of the current research is focused on the female gender. ?Anorexia nervosa is characterized by extreme dieting, intense fear of gaining weight, and obsessive exercising. The weight loss eventually produces a variety of physical symptoms associated with starvation: sleep disturbance, cessation of menstruation, insensitivity to pain, loss of hair on the head, low blood pressure, a variety of cardiovascular problems and reduced body temperature. Between 10% and 15% of anorexics literally starve themselves to death; others die because of some type of cardiovascular dysfunction (Bee and Boyd, 2001).?
Guyton, A. C., & Hall, J. E. (2000). Textbook of medical physiology (10th ed.). Philadelphia: Sunders.
Out of all mental illnesses found throughout the world, eating disorders have the highest mortality rate. Anorexia nervosa is one of the more common eating disorders found in society, along with bulimia nervosa. Despite having many definitions, anorexia nervosa is simply defined as the refusal to maintain a normal body weight (Michel, 2003). Anorexia nervosa is derived from two Latin words meaning “nervous inability to eat” (Frey, 2002). Although anorexics, those suffering from anorexia, have this “nervous inability to eat,” it does not mean that they do not have an appetite—anorexics literally starve themselves. They feel that they cannot trust or believe their perceptions of hunger and satiation (Abraham, 2008). Anorexics lose at least 15 percent of normal weight for height (Michel, 2003). This amount of weight loss is significant enough to cause malnutrition with impairment of normal bodily functions and rational thinking (Lucas, 2004). Anorexics have an unrealistic view of their bodies—they believe that they are overweight, even if the mirror and friends or family say otherwise. They often weigh themselves because they possess an irrational fear of gaining weight or becoming obese (Abraham, 2008). Many anorexics derive their own self-esteem and self-worth from body weight, size, and shape (“Body Image and Disordered Eating,” 2000). Obsession with becoming increasingly thinner and limiting food intake compromises the health of individuals suffering from anorexia. No matter the amount of weight they lose or how much their health is in jeopardy, anorexics will never be satisfied with their body and will continue to lose more weight.
Anorexia nervosa and Bulimia nervosa are described as psychological eating disorders (Keel and Levitt, 1). They are both characterized by an over-evaluation of weight. Despite being primarily an eating disorder, the manifestations of bulimia and anorexia are different. They both present a very conspicuous example of dangerous psychological disorders, as according to the South Carolina Department of Health, “Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness” (Eating Order Statistics, 1). While Bulimia and anorexia are both psychological disorders primarily prevalent in women, anorexia tends to have different diagnostic complexities, symptoms and physiological effects as compared to bulimia.
Fotios C. Papadopoulos, A. E. (2009). Excess mortality causes of death and prognostic factors in anorexia nervosa. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 10-17.