Overview Of Anorexia Nervosa

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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.

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