The Pathophysiology Of Physiological Jaundice

Bilirubin is a yellow pigment that is created in the body during the normal recycling of old red blood cells. The liver helps break down bilirubin so that it can be removed from the body in the stool.

Jaundice can be explained using a proximate explanation as a yellowing of the skin and eyes due to excess bilirubin. Bilirubin is a product of the breakdown of haemoglobin. It is made water soluble in the liver before being excreted into bile. [6] So bilirubin appears to be a useless waste product. It is only by looking at the evolutionary explanation for it that we understand its true value. Bilirubin is an antioxidant that protects against oxidative damage that leads to aging. High bilirubin levels have similarly been associated with a lower rate of heart attacks. Haem is first converted to biliverdin, then a reaction catalysed by biliverdin reductase produces bilirubin. Dangerous oxygen radicals react with bilirubin, preventing cell death.

Neonatal RDS is a condition of increasing respiratory distress commencing at or shortly after birth (BAPM-2006). It’s the single most important cause of morbidity and mortality in preterm infants (Greenough, et al 2004). Typically RDS affects preterm infants with the incidence being inversely proportional to the gestational age (Stewart 2005) Approximately 60% of those born before 28 weeks gestation are affected (Fraser, et al 2004) Incidence also increases in infants of diabetic mothers those born via elective caesarean section (Fraser, et al 2004) and perinatal asphyxia (Rodriguez, 2003).

One of these symptoms is jaundice, which is characterized by yellowish skin and eyes because of an inability of the liver to remove bilirubin from the blood. Patient with cirrhosis also suffering from itching, due to deposited bile's products in the skin. This patient also suffers from accumulation of fluid in legs that is called edema. As a result of the blockage of blood flow via the liver, fluid accumulation in abdomen which is worsen by the decrease in protein production. Other symptoms include fatigue, weakness, loss of appetite, weight loss and nausea. As the disease progress, complications may develop ,such as varices that happens with cirrhosis patient when the blood flow through the liver slows, so the blood from intestine go back to the vessels of the stomach and esophagus, these vessels are not meant to carry this much of blood so they dilate (varices), with increasing

Through the kidneys in the form of urine, evaporation in the lungs, by diffusion and perspiration in the skin, and through intestines in the form of feces.21. What conditions occur when blood pH rise and fall below 7.4? Acidemia22. Very slow shallow breathing can lead to a condition called _bradypnea___________?23. Breathing too rapidly can cause __Tachypnea_____________________.24. Excessive vomiting can lead to ___dehydration_____________.25. Prolonged diarrhea can cause ___abnormal high fluid loss in the body __________.26. What are some important factors in maintaining electrolyte balance? Consume adequate amounts of water daily, eat potassium rich foods like bananas, consume sports drinks when working out since they generally contain electrolytes, and have a balanced diet.27. Unless otherwise directed, take all medication with ___water____________ on an empty stomach to maintain the full rate of absorption.28. A patient comes in with all the signs of jaundice. You order a urine test. What elevated components are expected to be discovered from the urine test. Higher levels of urobilinogen.29. What percentage intracellular fluid does the human body contain? 62.5%30. A pint of donated blood decreases

Premature babies sometimes have apnea. It may happen together with a slow heart rate. Respiratory distress syndrome or RDS is a breathing problem most common in babies born before 34 weeks of pregnancy.” Babies with RDS don’t have a protein called surfactant that keeps small air sacs in the lungs from collapsing. “Intraventricular hemorrhage or IVH is bleeding in the brain. It usually happens near the ventricles in the center of the brain. A ventricles is a space in the brain that’s filled with fluid. Patent ductus ateriosus or PDA is a heart problem that happens in the connection between two major blood vessels near the heart. If the ductus do not close properly after birth, a baby can have breathing problems or heart failure. Heart failure is when enough blood can’t get pumped into the heart causing it to shut down. Necrotizing enter colitis (NEC) is a problem with a baby’s intestines. It causes feeding problems, a swollen belly and diarrhea. It sometimes happens 2 to 3 weeks after a premature bay has been born. Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is an abnormal growth of blood vessels in the eye. ROP can lead to vision loss. Jaundice is when a baby's eyes and skin look yellow. A baby has jaundice when his liver isn't fully developed or isn't working well. Anemia is when a baby doesn’t have enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen to the rest of the body. Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a lung condition that can develop in premature babies as well as babies who have treatment with a breathing machine. Babies with BPD sometimes develop fluid in the lungs, scarring and lung damage. Premature babies often have trouble fighting off germs because their immune systems are not fully formed. Infections that may affect a premature baby include pneumonia, a lung infection; sepsis, a blood infection; and meningitis, an infection in the fluid around the brain and

The liver produces bile which contains conjugated bilirubin. It is then sent to the gallbladder, and it has to be excreted properly from there. However, the gallstones are blocking the way, which makes it hard for the bilirubin to get out, and results in a build-up. This leads to jaundice, which occurs when one has and excessive amount of bilirubin.

The patient population is the preterm babies that are less than 37 weeks’ and weight

Some of the progressive signs of respiratory distress exhibited by this infant after birth are; nasal flaring, grunting, coarse breath sounds, increase respiratory rate of 100 and irregular, acrocyanosis, his appearance of being pale, circumoral cyanosis, and him developing jaundice as a result of his increased work of breathing and hypoxia which causes an increase in erythropoietin to be released from the kidneys resulting in polycythemia as a result of low levels of oxygen in the body. Subsequently, as a result of an increase or red blood cell production the body will develop jaundice due to an increase in red blood cell breakdown which causes an increase of bilirubin in the blood to accumulate, therefore, causing jaundice to develop.

Bilirubin (which causes the yellow color) from these broken down cells builds up in the system causing jaundice.

According to the World Health Organisation [WHO] (2014) pre-term babies are at increased risk of illness, disability and death. It also states that globally 15 million babies are born pre-term and the figures are rising. In England and Wales during 2012 7.3% of live births were pre-term under 37 weeks nearly 85% of all babies born prematurely will have a very low birth weight (Office for National Statistics, 2012). Pre-term birth is associated with respiratory complications and lung disease, long-tern neurological damage and problems with bowel function (Henderson & Macdonald, 2011). Neonatal services provide care to babies who are born prematurely or are ill and require specialist care. It is seen that sixty per cent of infant deaths occur in the neonatal period (DH,

There have been many changes throughout the years in healthcare. One of the many changes that affect us every day is oxygen toxicity in premature babies and the effects on their eyes. There is a fine line to walk when protecting the function of the brain and preserving vision. The risks have been a concern for healthcare providers for decades. Some people were born at 26 weeks in the early 60’s and suffers from severe retinopathy from over oxygenation. Between 1950 and the mid-1960’s many babies were blinded due to over oxygenation (Millenson, 2015).

Pernicious anemia is typically caused by a weakened stomach lining, or an autoimmune condition where the body attacks the intrinsic factor or the stomach lining. Biermer’s disease is rarely hereditary, this is called Congenital Pernicious anemia this is where babies do not make enough intrinsic factor or there is something going wrong with the absorption process in the small intestine. The prevalence of Pernicious anemia is estimated to be diagnosed in 1/769 people while Congenital Pernicious anemia is estimated to be

As explained by Dr. Richard Weisiger, bilirubin is produced during the breakdown of Hgb and other hemoproteins, and it is filtered out by the liver. Hyperbilirubinemia occurs when the liver cannot filter the bilirubin from the blood fast enough and the bilirubin is absorbed into tissues causing jaundice.

Investigating haemoglobin (Hb) concentration in blood samples using the haemoglobincyanide method and in foetal haemoglobin samples