What serious health problem can high-level spinal cord injury (SCI) cause?

What serious health problem can high-level spinal cord injury (SCI) cause?

• A. Cardiac arrest
• B. Restrictive lung
• C. Congestive heart failure
• D. Diabetes mellitus

Answer: (B)

High-level spinal cord injury (SCI) can significantly impact respiratory function, primarily due to the loss of innervation to respiratory muscles. When an injury occurs at a higher level in the spinal cord, particularly above the cervical vertebrae, it can result in a restrictive lung condition. This occurs because the muscles that support breathing, such as the diaphragm and intercostal muscles, may become weakened or paralyzed, limiting the lungs' ability to expand fully. As a result, individuals with high-level SCIs may experience reduced lung capacity, leading to difficulties in performing activities that require increased respiratory effort. These respiratory limitations can lead to complications such as pneumonia, atelectasis, and other respiratory disorders. Understanding the connection between high-level SCI and restrictive lung function is crucial for rehabilitation nursing, as it emphasizes the need for focused respiratory care and monitoring in this patient population. In contrast, the other health problems listed, such as cardiac arrest, congestive heart failure, and diabetes mellitus, while serious, do not have the direct and immediate link to high-level spinal cord injuries as restrictive lung conditions do, which is why restrictive lung is considered the most relevant and serious issue in this context.

High-level spinal cord injury (SCI) can significantly impact respiratory function, primarily due to the loss of innervation to respiratory muscles. When an injury occurs at a higher level in the spinal cord, particularly above the cervical vertebrae, it can result in a restrictive lung condition. This occurs because the muscles that support breathing, such as the diaphragm and intercostal muscles, may become weakened or paralyzed, limiting the lungs' ability to expand fully.

As a result, individuals with high-level SCIs may experience reduced lung capacity, leading to difficulties in performing activities that require increased respiratory effort. These respiratory limitations can lead to complications such as pneumonia, atelectasis, and other respiratory disorders. Understanding the connection between high-level SCI and restrictive lung function is crucial for rehabilitation nursing, as it emphasizes the need for focused respiratory care and monitoring in this patient population.

In contrast, the other health problems listed, such as cardiac arrest, congestive heart failure, and diabetes mellitus, while serious, do not have the direct and immediate link to high-level spinal cord injuries as restrictive lung conditions do, which is why restrictive lung is considered the most relevant and serious issue in this context.