Discussion: Medical Nutrition Therapy for Pulmonary Disease
Respiratory Failure
Patients with respiratory failure or pulmonary diseases have deficits in the body weight, triceps skin folds thickness , arm muscle circumference, serum transferrin, retinol binding proteins, creatinine height height , and total lymphocyte counts.
In majority, body protein and fat stores are markedly depleted. It is also important to note that malnutrition is a common problem in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases.
The Tactics of Therapy
Nutritional Education should be provided, especially on methods of nutritional supplements intake as well increasing the calorie and protein in take.
Aim at increasing the body weight through high protein diets and the fat free mass (FFM).
Specific Recommendations For Nutrition Therapy
For the first visit:
Prescribe nutrition regimen:
Energy: 1.6 x Basal energy expenditure.
Protein: 1.5 x weight.
For the first follow up encounter ( 3 days after initial encounter)
Nutrition regimen:
Energy: 2 x Basal energy expenditure.
Protein: 2 x weight
For the 2nd follow up encounter which should be 13 days later, the same thing is repeated as for the first follow up.
In addition, fruits and vegetables should be recommended in the diet since they contain antioxidants which help in protecting against damaging effect of oxidative stress in the airways ; a characteristic of respiratory disease.
High fruit and vegetable intake, Mediterranean style diet, fish and omega-3 intake, vitamins E, D, and C and minerals are very good dietary patterns which have been associated with curative benefits on respiratory conditions.
References.
Bronwyn, S.B., & Lisa, G. W. ( 2015). Nutrition and respiratory health- feature review.
Nutrients , (7), 1618-1643. doi:10.3390/nu7031618.
Seung, N. S., ( 2014). Clinical Nutritional Resources . 3(2): 150–156. doi: …
