Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors: A Case Study Analysis

This case study presents a 42-year-old man who sought medical attention due to leg cramps, swelling, and fever, ultimately leading to an investigation of potential cardiovascular issues. The case study explores the conditions of Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD), Pulmonary Embolism, and Cardiovascular Disease, discussing their causes, symptoms, and implications. PAD is explained as a narrowing of blood vessels in the legs, often related to atherosclerosis. Pulmonary Embolism, caused by blood clots in the lungs, is also detailed. The study highlights the impact of ethnicity on cardiovascular disease risk factors, noting differences in prevalence and clinical manifestations among various racial and ethnic groups, emphasizing the role of lifestyle habits. The conclusion underscores the importance of assessing modifiable risk factors and developing culturally sensitive healthcare programs. The case study includes a reference list of supporting literature.

Running head: CASE STUDY
Case Study
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

CASE STUDY 2
Introduction
In the case study, a 42 years old man went to the clinic since he was suffering from
leg cramp. His right calf was inflamed and swollen. When asked, he said that he accidentally
injured his leg with a trimmer. Few days after, he developed a severe fever to 100.6 F along
with chills. He noticed that his legs got swollen and reddened. Being worried, he visited the
emergency department of definitive care for seeking immediate treatment.
Discussion
Peripheral artery disease (PAD) results when the blood vessels or arteries that supply
blood to the legs and feet get narrowed, causing reduced blood flow in the muscles. This
leads to nerve injury(Boyko, Monteiro-Soares & Wheeler, 2017). PAD can also result from
atherosclerosis, which results from the accumulation of cholesterol (LDL), also known as
plaque, on the walls of the arteries, making them narrower, restricting the proper flow of
blood. As a result, the muscles of the legs do not receive enough blood and oxygen, making
them fatigued. Peripheral artery disease is said to be a good indicator of poor heart health; it
signifies that the patient may have coronary artery disease and have a higher chance of heart
attack or stroke(Dua & Lee, 2016). Pulmonary Embolism is a condition where the arteries in
the lungs get blocked due to the presence of blood clots. Mostly, pulmonary Embolism is
caused by a blood clot that travels from the legs, also known as Deep Vein Thrombosis(Di
Nisio, van Es & Büller, 2016). Since the blood clot blocks the flow of blood, as a result,
sufficient oxygen does not reach the lungs resulting in respiratory trouble and chest pain.
Cardiovascular Disease is the primary source of death for people belonging to the
most racial and ethnic groups in the United States including the African American, American

CASE STUDY 3
Indian and white men. Though there was no drastic contrast in the levels of cardiovascular
disease between the white and the black people, there are significant variation in the
distribution of risk factors level within a specific race and ethnic group than compared to US
populations. Studies also found striking difference in the levels of the risk factors for
coronary heart disease between a particular ethnic migrant population(Milla et al, 2020). The
differences are found to have arised from increased prevalence of high blood pressure,
obesity and diabetes is some population compared with white Americans. The incidence and
clinical manifestation of cardiovascular disease also differs between the black and white
people. It was found that there were significant racial differences in the concentration of
biomarkers which contributed to such racial differences in the development and
complications of cardiovascular disease(Schutte, 2019).
Conclusion
In conclusion, it can be said that, though racial and ethnic heritage influence the heart
disease risk, the lifestyle habits seems to play a bigger role. Systemic assessment and
quantification of the modifiable risk factors are important for better understanding of the
disparities of Cardiovascular disease risk factors by race and ethnicity. This will help the
health professionals and clinicians to develop culturally sensitive health service programs.

CASE STUDY 4
REFERENCE
Boyko, E. J., Monteiro-Soares, M., & Wheeler, S. G. (2017). Peripheral arterial disease, foot
ulcers, lower extremity amputations, and diabetes. Diabetes in America. 3rd ed.
Bethesda, MD: National Institutes of Health Publication, 20-21.
Di Nisio, M., van Es, N., & Büller, H. R. (2016). Deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary
embolism. The Lancet, 388(10063), 3060-3073.
Dua, A., & Lee, C. J. (2016). Epidemiology of peripheral arterial disease and critical limb
ischemia. Techniques in vascular and interventional radiology, 19(2), 91-95.
Milla, C., Fonseca, M., Gutierrez, D., Romero, D., Menzo, E. L., Cubeddu, R., ... &
Rosenthal, R. J. (2020). The Impact of Ethnicity on Cardiovascular Risk Reduction
and Heart Age After Bariatric Surgery. Obesity Surgery, 1-6.
Schutte, A. E. (2019). Ethnicity and Cardiovascular Disease. In Textbook of Vascular
Medicine (pp. 287-295). Springer, Cham.