Vitamin D Supplements for Elderly Health Essay Example

During my last placement on an Acute Stroke Ward. I observed a lot of patients that were suffering from lasting symptoms as a result of their stroke such a fatigue, memory loss, weakness as well as poor balance and coordination. As a result of dealing with these side effects, Patients can suffer from a low mood which may begin at any stage of the rehabilitation from their stroke. (Stroke Association. (2015, p8). I recognised that many of the patients within the ward did not get the opportunity to leave the ward to sit outside for some natural sunlight as they were too unwell, and many didn’t even get any natural daylight coming into their rooms. Reduced Vitamin D levels are linked to significantly poorer patient outcomes following Ischemic strokes that account for 85% of all strokes in Scotland (NHS Inform. (2022). Vitamin D is one of the best-known vitamins to help with the recovery process post stroke. It may reduce neurological and functional defects. So, it is vitally important that patients are given the best possible chance of recovery from their stroke and allow them to achieve their full capability. There is insufficient research completed on the benefits of taking Vitamin D supplements however, a quantitative research method could help to assess the importance of taking a Vitamin D supplement for patients post Ischemic stroke. 

An Ischemic stroke is extremely traumatic on the body due to a blockage in the brain. It causes the blood supply to be cut off to a specific area of the brain which instantly kills blood cells. The damage to the brain can have an impact on how the body functions and alter one’s thoughts and emotions. (Stroke Association. (2015). It can be seen that in the UK, over 30% of people aged over 65 have a deficiency in Vitamin D. Furthermore, 57% of people who are hospitalised with an Ischemic stroke are vitamin D deficient. (Kennel, K. A. et al. (2010). Therefore, it is essential that healthcare providers assess patients early on in their rehabilitation whether a Vitamin D supplement may be needed through checking for signs of a vitamin D deficiency such as muscle weakness, tiredness and vision problems. (McCarty D. E. (2010). In addition, Vitamin D works by decreasing blood pressure through acting on the renin-angiotensin system. Inadequate vitamin D levels frequently result in over-activation of this system, raising the risk of a stroke. (Foster, S. (2020).

Lower Vitamin D levels in Ischemic Stroke patients have also been linked to lower scores on various assessments measuring neurological and physiological post-stroke prognosis. (Yarlagadda, K., et al. (2020). Moreover, there is evidence to show that Vitamin D has neuroprotective properties including, regulation of the cells in the nervous system, replacement after neuronal cell death and anti-thrombotic qualities. (Makariou, S. E., et al. (2014). A Vitamin D deficiency is seen to increase the likelihood of Post Stroke Cognitive impairment (PSCI) in Post-ischemic stroke patients. Healthcare professionals should be mindful of post-stroke patients' Vitamin D levels, particularly within the elderly. (Pinzon, R., et al. (2021). Vitamin D is important for bone health, and the combination of weakening muscles and bones produced by an ischemic stroke increases the elderly's risk of falls and fractures. (McFadden, R. (2021).