A nurse is planning care for a client who has dementia and lives at home. Which of the following physiological changes should the nurse educate the client and family to monitor?

A. Diminished hair growth on the lower extremities: Diminished hair growth on the lower extremities is not typically a manifestation of peripheral venous disease. Instead, it may suggest poor circulation or arterial insufficiency.

B. Loss of pigmentation over the shin area: Loss of pigmentation over the shin area can occur in conditions such as chronic venous insufficiency, which is a form of peripheral venous disease. However, it is not the most characteristic manifestation.

C. Shiny appearance to the lower extremities: A shiny appearance to the lower extremities is often associated with arterial insufficiency rather than peripheral venous disease. It can indicate thinning of the skin due to poor circulation and oxygenation.

D. Swollen and enlarged veins: Swollen and enlarged veins, also known as varicose veins, are classic manifestations of peripheral venous disease. These veins result from venous insufficiency, which leads to blood pooling and increased pressure in the veins, causing them to dilate and become visibly enlarged.

A. "A deregulated cytokine storm causes an inflammatory response": Systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) is characterized by a dysregulated inflammatory response triggered by various insults such as infection, trauma, burns, or ischemia. In SIRS, the immune system responds excessively, leading to the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines (cytokine storm), including tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1 (IL-1), and interleukin-6 (IL-6). This cytokine cascade results in widespread inflammation and systemic manifestations, such as fever, tachycardia, tachypnea, and leukocytosis.

B. "The major organ prone to injury during SIRS is the heart": While SIRS can lead to multi-organ dysfunction, including cardiac dysfunction, it does not primarily target the heart. SIRS affects multiple organs, including the lungs, kidneys, liver, and gastrointestinal tract. Cardiac dysfunction in SIRS may result from the inflammatory response, hypoperfusion, or direct myocardial injury.

C. "Spleen dysfunction causes blood clotting issues": SIRS can lead to coagulation abnormalities, but spleen dysfunction is not the primary cause. Coagulation abnormalities in SIRS are often attributed to endothelial dysfunction, activation of the coagulation cascade, and consumption of clotting factors, rather than spleen dysfunction.

D. "Activation of the inflammatory cascade causes increased perfusion": Activation of the inflammatory cascade in SIRS does not typically lead to increased perfusion. Instead, SIRS can lead to alterations in perfusion, including tissue hypoperfusion and microvascular dysfunction. In severe cases, SIRS can progress to septic shock, characterized by profound hypotension and inadequate tissue perfusion.