NURS 6501 Assignment Adaptive Response

Assignment: Adaptive Response

Name

Walden University

NURS 6501, Advanced Pathophysiology

date

Introduction

All humans are designed with two types of immunity; innate and adaptive. The innate immune system can distinguish between different classes of pathogens and recruit the most effective form of adaptive immune response to eliminate them.Adaptive responses are a response that the body adapts to certain injuries or insults. Innate responses are non-specific to the insult. Unlike innate immune responses, the adaptive responses are highly specific to the particular pathogen that induced them (Alberts et al, 2004).Injured tissue cells release chemicals that cause inflammation called “chemical mediators of inflammation.” These chemicals primarily produce their effects in the localized areas where they are released(Alberts et al, 2004). It is extremely important that health care professionals are familiar with innate and adaptive responses to correctly treat the condition and symptoms a presenting patient may be experiencing.

Pathophysiology and Alteration in Case Study #1

In case study number one the child’s body is reacting to a bacterial infection in the throat. When bacteria is introduced to the body it can stimulate an immune response (Huether&McCance, 2012). Normally there is normal flora that prevents the bacteria from attacking the host. However, for many reasons the protective mechanism may be ineffective and then the body reacts to the virus or bacteria antigen. The virus or bacteria is the antigen that activates the complement system. The activation of the complement system causes the release of cytokines. The cytokines are the mediators responsible for the symptoms the child is experiencing. The cytokines that are specifically responsible for the symptoms are prostaglandins. The release of prostaglandins causes pain, fever and inflammation of the tonsillar tissue. When released prostaglandins are able to reset the temperature control center in the brain thus, resulting in a fever.

Pathophysiology and Alteration in Case Study #2

In this case study the body activates the innate immune system. The skin which is the first line of defense senses a insult from the abrasive chemicals. After the injury from the chemicals the body activates its second line of defense (Huether&McCance, 2012). The result of the exposure to the chemicals results in a hypersensitivity. It is considered a type IV tissue specific type of hypersensitivity. These types of reactions are mediated by T lymphocytes. When the skin on the hands became exposed over a period of time a delayed cell mediated response was triggered.

Pathophysiology and Alteration in Case Study #3

In the third case study the patient is experiencing a reaction to the influence of stress over time. The stress response is complex and involves mechanisms of both protection and injury(Huether&McCance, 2012). In this case the patient is experiencing two types of stress: physiological and perceived stress. Her history of hypertension is the environmental stress. This is a type of chronic stress. The emotional stress of her mother’s broken hip triggers the stress response by the body. When the alarm reaction occurs it results in an increased secretion by the adrenal medulla of glucocorticoids, epinephrine and norepinephrine(Huether&McCance, 2012). The release of those substances stimulates the “fight or flight” response. The secretion of those substances are the cause of her “racing heart rate’, decreased appetite and inability to sleep.

Conclusion

The pathophysiology of the bodies’ actual or perceived threat is a complex mechanism. It may serve as a mechanism for defense, adaptation or autoimmunity when its protective mechanisms become detrimental to the bodies maintenance of homeostasis. Activation of these systems and their adaptations may manifest in many ways. It is important to understand the physiology of the immune response to adequately and accurately treat the host.

References

Alberts B, Johnson A, Lewis J, et al. Molecular Biology of the Cell. 4th edition. New York: Garland Science; 2002. Chapter 24, The Adaptive Immune System. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK21070/

Huether, S. E., &McCance, K. L. (2012). Understanding pathophysiology (Laureate custom ed.). St. Louis, MO: Mosby.

Walden University M.S. in Nursing

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