An 83-year-old resident of a skilled nursing facility presents to the emergency department with generalized edema of extremities and abdomen. History obtained from staff reveals the patient has history of malabsorption syndrome and difficulty eating due to lack of dentures. The patient has been diagnosed with protein malnutrition. Post an explanation of the disease highlighted in the scenario you were provided. Include the following in your explanation:
The role genetics plays in the disease.
Why the patient is presenting with the specific symptoms described.
The physiologic response to the stimulus presented in the scenario and why you think this response occurred.
The cells that are involved in this process.
How another characteristic (e.g., gender, genetics) would change your response.
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Case Study: 83-year-old resident
With malabsorption syndrome, genetics is one of the possible causes that could result in a patient being diagnosed with such a condition. As such, there is a high chance that there is a family member of the resident who has a health issue as well. Abdellaoui et al. (2016) depict that with malabsorption syndrome, one has a high risk of passing the disorder to the generation. Typically, SLC46A1 is a gene that helps in the process of the production of proteins. However, with the patient having a lack of proteins, it is an indication that the patient lacks the genes that are to help in the manufacturing of the proteins. There are various symptoms that have been presented by the patient including extremities and edema with issues of abdominal challenges. These are the signs that are associated with cases of malabsorption syndrome. Thus, the patient complains of such signs due to the fact that there are not enough proteins to help in the provision of energy for the patient….
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