Connection Between Urinary Tract Infectionsâ€Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Connection Between Urinary Tract Infections? Answer: Introducation A Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) occurs when bacteria in the bladder, urethra or kidneys multiplies into the urinary tract. Acute kidney disease (AKD) occurs when the kidneys no longer have the ability to get rid of excess fluids, salts and waste from the blood. The connection between a UTI and Acute Kidney disease is that when the former is left untreated, it could lead to acute kidney disease. This could in turn lead to the permanent damage of vital organs and eventually lead to kidney failure. One of the symptoms of a UTI and acute kidney disease is flank pain which was evident in the patient (Prakash Ramasubramanian, 2016). This is pain experienced on one side of the body between the hips and ribs or between the abdomen and the back. Flank pain can be considered a sign of a kidney problem. Additionally, the patient showed some signs of confusion and this is another symptom of acute kidney disease as well as UTI in senior patients. Another symptom of UTI observed on the patient wa s the discharge of cloudy and concentrated urine which had a foul smell (Allen, 2016). Explain the clinical association or relationship between UTI and confusion in the elderly. A UTI can be the cause of confusion as well as other symptoms of dementia in senior patients. This is sometimes mistaken for the very early stages of Alzheimers disease or dementia.The symptom of confusion in a patient suffering from a UTI may be vague and can mimic other health conditions.Since confusion is usually a vague and uncommon symptom of UTIs, it makes it difficult to make a diagnosis in older patients (Nicolle, 2016). Thus, a simple urinalysis is conducted upon the suspicion of a UTI as in Johns case whose results showed that he indeed had a UTI. When an older patient has the classic symptoms of a UTI, they may not be in a position to inform their care givers. This is usually because of age-related issues such as Alzheimers disease or dementia that bring about some confusion. Dementia also puts elderly patients at the risk of contracting a UTI and it is sometimes termed as a risk factor. It is important to look out for signs of confusion in senior adults because they may n ot exhibit the common signs of a UTI (Balogun Philbrick, 2014). This is because their immune systems are not entirely capable of mounting a significant response to such an infection. Besides the absence of noticeable signs in majority of the older individuals fail to or cannot express their levels of discomfort to care providers (Mitchell, Fasugba, Beckingham, Bennett Gardner, 2016). Describe why Johns clinical signs have climbed now. Johns clinical signs have climbed up beyond the normal vital sign ranges for an average adult who is healthy because of the UTI infection. His temperature is at 400C which is above the average 370C for a healthy adult. He was breathing at 26 breaths per minute while a healthy adult breaths 12 to 18 breaths per minute. His pulse was at 102 bpm whilst the rate should be at 60 to 102 bpm. This can also be associated with his past medical history of asthma and congestive heart failure. If at all the heart failure had gone untreated, it could have caused the complications of kidney damage or failure. This is because heart failure reduces the flow of blood to the kidneys and if left untreated, one suffers from kidney failure (Jarvis, Chan Gottlieb, 2014). He may have acquired these diseases from tobacco use when he smoked during his outdoor work. Besides smoking, the asthma could have been caused by airborne substances like dust and pollen or air irritants and pollutants such as smoke sin ce he used to do an outdoor job at the city council. He is an Aboriginal who used to work and live alone and this could have triggered strong emotions and stress that could have caused the asthma and now the rise of his vital signs that show he has an infection. What therapy is needed for John? John should undergo antibiotic therapy as an inpatient since he has symptoms of a UTI. UTI is common the elderly and if left untreated, it can lead to serious health implications. In this case, as an elderly adult male, he should undergo a 10-14 days course antibiotic therapy, which will help relieve his symptoms. However, it is always recommended that an antibiotic culture should not be embarked on until a culture and sensitivity test is carried out (Rowe Mehta, 2013). The results from the sample urine helps to avoid unnecessary use of broad courses of antibiotic treatment. In this case, his vital signs are not stable and there could be no time to wait for additional information. With the help of the urinalysis results, the best course of antibiotic therapy could be prescribed, which can clear the symptoms of the infection. However, depending on the nature of the infection, it is recommended that he first undergoes initial treatment by being administered to intravenous (IV) antimic robial therapy. This could be in the form of a fluoroquinolone, a third-generation cephalosporin or an aminoglycoside as well as amoxicillin (Jarvis, Chan Gottlieb, 2014). Since the patient has a history of congestive heart failure which could be a risk factor for acute kidney disease, the antimicrobial coverage ought to be broadened and an agent such as antipseudomonal could be added. Additionally, the course of antibiotic administered is influenced by the local resistance patterns (Jarvis, Chan Gottlieb, 2014). The antibiotic coverage could be readjusted later based on the results from the culture and sensitivities. Dietary considerations should also be taken with high regard including sufficient fluids (Broom, Broom, Kirby Adams, 2016). References Allen, C. (2016). Education extra: Recurrent urinary tract infections. Australian Pharmacist 35(2), 36. Balogun, S. A., Philbrick, J. T. (2014). Delirium, a symptom of UTI IN the elderly: fact or fable? A systematic review. Canadian Geriatrics Journal, 17(1), 22. Broom., A., Broom J., Kirby, E., Adams, J. (2016). The social dynamics of antibiotic use in an Australian hospital. Journal of Sociology, 52(4), 824-839. Jarvis, T. R., Chan, L., Gottlieb, T. (2014). Assessment and management of lower urinary tract infection in adults. Issues, 1. Mitchell, B. G., Fasugba, O., Beckingham, W., Bennett, N., Gardner, A. (2016). A point prevalence study of healthcare associated urinary tract infections in Australian acute and aged care facilities. Infection, Disease Health, 21(1), 26-31. Nicolle, L. E. (2016). Urinary tract infections in older adult. Clinics in geriatric medicine, 32(3), 523-538. Prakash, K. C., Ramasubramanian, V. (2016). Urinary Tract Infection. Manual Nephrology, 226. Rowe, T. A., Juthani-Mehta, M. (2013). Urinary tract infection in older adults. Aging health, 9(5), 519-528.