Question: Comment 1: You correctly stated that Mr. C is a candidate for bariatric surgery based on his poor health history including high cholesterol, an elevated BMI level of 45, OSA, high fasting blood glucose (FBG) of 146 mg/dl, has a high respiratory rate of 26 which can point to pulmonary disease. Good candidates for weight-loss surgery are obese adults who also have an obesity-related health condition, who are aware of the risks and benefits of surgery, and are willing to make lifestyle changes after surgery, especially in regard to eating habits. Following bariatric surgery many patients show improvement in obesity-related conditions, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, obstructive sleep apnea and arthritis.

Comment 2: Nice post! You bring up very good points when speaking about the functional health patterns and problems the patient has. I particularly liked how you brought up assessing for sleep apnea. People don't really understand the implications of having sleep apnea and energy levels throughout the day. People can also suffer from headaches/migraines if they have obstructive sleep apnea. It's so important for our body to recharge while sleeping and part of that recharging has to do with proper oxygenation. Many people who are obese are unaware that they may have this problem and need to have a sleep study. Many of my patients don't know they have it until I or another nurse notices they are snoring and desaturated while sleeping. This can be a scary finding.

Comment 3: Hi Diona, one specific thing that caught my attention from reading Mr. C's case study was that this patient takes multiple medications at different times throughout the day because of multiple diseases that are present. This requires the patient to place a lot of attention and plan accordingly. The patient also has to make sure to manage their medications in order to decrease their chances of overdosing, missing a medication, or drug contraindications. Some strategies that can be used are: fill the prescriptions at one pharmacy, use a pill dispenser, and make a list.