Mind map week 5

Concept Map Template Primary Diagnosis: Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease 1. Describe the pathophysiology of the primary diagnosis in your own words. What are the patient’s risk factors for this diagnosis? Pathophysiology of Primary Diagnosis Lower esophageal sphincter (LES), a muscular ring at the junction of the esophagus and the stomach, is one of the factors that increase the possibility of gastroesophageal reflux diseases (GERD). Normally, it remains closed to prevent stomach acid from gushing up. However, in GERD, it relaxes at inappropriate times and this is called Transient Lower Esophageal Sphincter Relaxations. This decline in muscle tone allows acid to escape the stomach into the esophagus, causing a painful sensation. Alternative lifestyle practices, like smoking, alcohol, and specific medications, can be orientated towards LES. In addition, hiatal hernias happens when part of the stomach or another organ pushes up through a gap in the diaphragm called the hiatus. This can happen if the hiatus is loose. When this occurs, stomach stuff can flow back into the esophagus weakening the LES. The esophageal lining's defense machinery too is vital in the process. It is usually tolerant to acid exposure but if the mucosal lining is in constant exposure to acid gastric content, the lining's defensive capacities might be exceeded. This can result in irritation and inflammation. Moreover, the motor function of esophageal peristalsis plays a major role in the clearance of acid. Hence, its impairment worsens the symptoms of GERD due to the slowing of acid removal. Causes Risk Factors (genetic/ethnic/physical) Stomach acids of patients suffering from GERD flow back up into the esophagus and reach the point where the esophagus meets the stomach known as the gastroesophageal junction (GEJ). This overwhelms the esophagus' protective mechanisms which causes esophageal tissue damage. Some individuals would get GERD without any damage to the esophagus in some situations. Normally, the muscle LES keeps down the contents of the stomach, but if it fails to work well, the reflux occurs. Even when the LES and diaphragm functions well, reflux is still possible, especially after big meals. The intensity of GERD depends on frequency of the reflux, duration staying in esophagus of stomach contents, and how acidic they are (Katzka & Kahrilas, 2020; Maret-Ouda et al., 2020). Genetic risk factors are considered in GERD and other conditions like Barrett's esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinoma. The twins and family researches show a figure of 31% inheritance of GERD. Large numbers of differences in genes, called single-nucleotide polymorphisms, have been associated with the increased risk of developing GERD. FOXF1, MHC, or CCND1 genes are...