Risk Associated with Ventricular Assist Device
The paper “Causes and Risk Factors Associated with Ventricular Assist Device” is an excellent example of an assignment on medical science. Vitamin A deficiency is a medical condition associated with lack of vitamin A in the body of an individual and by extension lack of Vitamin A in the diet. Vitamin A is in a class of vitamins that is essential majorly for the proper functioning of the visual system but is also vital for general body growth and that of the immune system. Vitamin A deficiency is therefore classified with regard to severity to the effects of the visual system of an individual, basically the eye. Risk Associated with Ventricular Assist Device
Night blindness is the major illness associated with Vitamin A deficiency; others will include xerophthalmia, outright blindness, Bitot’ s spot, and effects on cornea like drying, ulceration and scarring de (Benoist, Andersson, Takkouche, & Egli 2003, p. 1859). Causes of Vitamin A deficiency varies depending on the age of children, in infants the condition is majorly caused by premature stoppage of breastfeeding, this is because at this age the baby entirely depends on the breast milk for nutrients uptake.
Vitamin A deficiency in older children is however attributed to lack of vitamin A in the diet. Sources of vitamin A include fish, meat, milk and green vegetables. Other causes for children include infectious diseases like measles which depletes the body of stored vitamin A (Hotz & Loechl, et al 2012, p. 163). The main effect of Vitamin A deficiency on children is the functionality of the immune system which leaves the body vulnerable to diseases. Children with Vitamin A deficiency are likely to suffer secondary critical illnesses which may vary from measles, diarrhoea and such may lead to child mortality.
Another population group at risk is the pregnant women. Vitamin A deficiency mainly occurs during the last trimester of the pregnancy and may lead to night blindness and in some cases maternal mortality. Question 2 Global approaches that have been used to control VAD and other micronutrient deficiencies Several approaches have been implemented in various parts of the world to control Vitamin A deficiency and other nutrient deficiencies with different level of success. In developed countries where such deficiencies have totally been eliminated, the main approach used was improvement of diet to incorporate the vital micronutrients. Risk Associated with Ventricular Assist Device
Poorer countries especially in Africa and Asia cannot achieve this in totality since it’ s too costly. The major disadvantage of this approach lies in the cost factor (Sommer 1994, p. 60). The second approach used is supplementation, here affected population or vulnerable groups are given supplements of the micronutrients or vitamins to supplement their normal intake. Supplementation is more of a remedial approach of dealing with micronutrients deficiencies and substantial levels of success has been achieved. According to Van (2003, p. 149) studies have shown that 34-40% reduction of child mortality have been achieved through supplementation of Vitamin A.
Other studies have shown that work output increased up to 17% after iron supplementation was implemented. The main advantage of supplementation as seen from the studies is that rapid results can easily be achieved (Sommer 1994, p. 60).Risk Associated with Ventricular Assist Device