Understanding of Antioxidants Mechanism in Clinical Nursing Practice

Abstract

The aim of this study is to provide fundamental knowledge for the efficient use of antioxidants in nursing intervention by identifying cellular damage by Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), antioxidant defense mechanism, and a broad range of antioxidant use. This study investigated the known mechanisms and clinical applications of antioxidants through published literature reviews. The state of nursing research using antioxidants between the period 1966 and 2011 was reviewed using analysis criteria. The collection of literatures in this study was performed through a biomedical database, Pubmed, Korean research information service system, Riss4U, a science and technical database, ScienceDirect and Internet. Acute and chronic diseases are associated with the production of ROS in the human body, and the use of many antioxidants is being considered in order to reduce the pathological damage caused by ROS. Providing effective nursing intervention reducing oxidative stress will prevent various diseases and improve the status of health. To enhance the quality of clinical nursing practice, nurses need to understand the accurate mechanism of antioxidants, identify the risk factors affecting the process of ROS production, and monitor the cellular balance in oxidation-reduction.