A nurse is preparing a poster about chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) for a local community health fair. Which of the following activities should the nurse include on the poster as increasing the risk for CTE?

Answer: A, B, and C

Rationale: A) Falls: Falls are a leading cause of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) across all age groups, especially among older adults and young children. Falls can occur due to various factors such as slipping, tripping, or accidents from heights.

B) Violence: Acts of violence, including assaults, gunshot wounds, and domestic abuse, are significant contributors to TBIs. These traumatic events can result in head injuries with varying degrees of severity, depending on the force and nature of the trauma.

C) Sports-related injuries: Participation in contact sports or activities with a risk of collision or impact, such as football, soccer, or cycling, can lead to TBIs. Athletes may experience concussions or more severe head injuries during games or practice sessions.

D) Working as a firefighter: While occupations like firefighting can expose individuals to hazardous situations, including fires and building collapses, they are not typically cited as primary causes of TBIs. However, firefighters may face head injury risks while performing their duties, especially during rescue operations or structural collapses.

E) Working in a factory: While accidents in industrial settings can lead to various injuries, including head trauma, they are not among the primary causes of TBIs. However, workers in factories or industrial environments may face risks associated with machinery accidents, falling objects, or workplace incidents.

A. "Your heart condition is caused by excessive stretching of the ventricles": Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is characterized by the dilation or enlargement of the heart's chambers, particularly the ventricles. This dilation results in weakened myocardial contraction and impaired systolic function. The primary cause of DCM is often idiopathic (unknown), but it can also be secondary to various factors such as genetics, infections, toxins, or systemic diseases. The statement correctly identifies the pathophysiological basis of DCM as excessive stretching or dilation of the ventricles, leading to impaired cardiac function.

B. "Your heart condition is caused when the ventricular tissue becomes fibrous and fatty": This statement is incorrect. Fibrous and fatty changes in ventricular tissue are characteristic of another type of cardiomyopathy known as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), not dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). In DCM, the primary abnormality is dilation of the heart chambers rather than fibrous and fatty changes in the myocardium.

C. "Your heart condition is caused from stiffening of the walls of the ventricles": This statement describes restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM), not dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). In restrictive cardiomyopathy, the ventricular walls become stiff and rigid, impairing diastolic filling and ventricular relaxation. However, in DCM, the primary abnormality is dilation or enlargement of the ventricles rather than stiffening of the ventricular walls.

D. "Your heart condition is caused by thickening of the ventricular walls and septum": This statement describes hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), not dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). In HCM, there is abnormal thickening of the ventricular walls and septum, leading to reduced chamber size and impaired diastolic filling. However, in DCM, the primary abnormality is dilation or enlargement of the ventricles rather than thickening of the ventricular walls.