Study | Evidence Based Nursing Research

Running head: EVIDENCE BASED NURSING RESEARCH
HEALTHY AGEING AND CHALLENGES TO HEALTH FOR OLDER PERSONS
Name of the Student
Name of the University
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1EVIDENCE BASED NURSING RESEARCH
Table of Contents
Introduction..........................................................................................................................2
Pathophysiology..................................................................................................................2
Investigation and tests..........................................................................................................4
Clinical manifestation..........................................................................................................5
Clinical course of condition.................................................................................................6
Most common treatment......................................................................................................6
Conclusion...........................................................................................................................7
References............................................................................................................................9
Bibliography......................................................................................................................11

2EVIDENCE BASED NURSING RESEARCH
Introduction
The rate of aging in global population is increasing day by day. This phenomenon is
occurring in a time when the scale and rate of man made changes in the environment is
exceeding the highest levels of ecological limitations. According to World Health Organization
(2017), about 15% of adults aged 60 and over suffer from a mental disorder.
The biophysical issues related to aging is not much discussed in the society however, the
effects of such issues are life threatening in the elderly population of the society (Berryman et al
2012). The psychosocial approach as well, looks at these elderly people in relation with the
combined influence of social factors surrounding environment, and psychosocial factors (Keefe
et al 2013). These approach talks about these above-mentioned factors on the mental and
physical wellness.
To discuss these issues, the critical analysis will discuss the case of Marika, who is in her
80’s and is suffering from several disorders such as osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, hypertension,
falls, overweight and delirium as well. She is currently living in an old age care home and
suffering from these biophysical and psychosocial issues. This critical analysis is going to
discuss her issues about osteoporosis and osteoarthritis with a proper clinical intervention and
care plan to help her age in a healthy way.
Pathophysiology
As Marika is suffering from osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, hypertension, falls, and delirium,
the pathophysiology of osteoarthritis and osteoporosis has been discussed.
Pathophysiology of osteoarthritis- the cartridge is a unique tissue that has several
compressive and viscoelastic properties that is imparted by its extracellular matrix. This cartridge

3EVIDENCE BASED NURSING RESEARCH
is made up of type two collagen and proteoglycans (Sankar et al. 2013). In normal condition, this
matrix undergoes a remodeling process in which, lower level of synthetic and degradative
enzymes are formed, that balances the overall activities and the volume of the cartridge is
maintained. However, in the case of Osteoarthritis, expression of those degradative enzymes
becomes higher than that of the synthesizer enzymes, leading to the shift the balance in the favor
of overall degradation of the bones. This leads to loss of collagen and proteoglycans from the
matrix. Hence, the bones becomes weaker (Olivotto et al. 2015). Due to the loss of those two
building blocks of cartridge, chondrocytes produces elevated amounts of proteoglycans and
collagens, however as the disease continues, the synthesize outmatched the degradation and leads
to fibrillations, cracklings and erosions in the superficial layer of cartilage. These cracklings
progresses to the deeper layers over time leading to clinically observable cracklings and erosions
(Pesesse et al. 2014).
Pathophysiology of Osteoporosis -
The condition of osteoporosis is mainly the reduction in skeletal mass that has been caused by
the imbalance between bone reabsorption and bone formation. In normal physiological
conditions, the reabsorption and the bone formation are present in balance however; increase or
decrease in either factor can lead to the condition of osteoporosis (Armas and Recker 2012). The
cause of osteoporosis can be failure in the formation of bones and reaching the peak bone mass,
during the young age, that causes loss of bones in the later period of life. Hormonal status can be
another factor to cause osteoporosis. Aging and the loss in the gonadal functions are also the
reasons behind the occurrence of the osteoporosis. As the menopause occurs, the rate of bone
loss accelerates in women. Estrogen deficiency is a prime reason of the factors that influences
the process of bone loss in elderly women (Drake, Clarke and Lewiecki 2015).