alimentary disease Flashcards
signs and symptoms: recall and explain common signs and symptoms of gastrointestinal and liver diseases
define sign
externally visible and detectable to someone other than the patient
define symptom
internally experienced by patient and impossible to detect by others
signs of general GI disease
malaise, rapid weight loss (unintentional and uncontrollable), anorexia (eating disorder), anaemia
define malaise
non-specific; generally unwell from indeterminable cause
define anaemia and common causes
reduced ability to carry oxygen due to low [Hb]; fewer normal sized erythrocytes or normal number smaller erythrocytes
hepatobiliary disorders
right-upper quadrant pain, biliary colic, jaundice, dark urine, pale stool, ascites
why right-upper quadrant pain
where most of liver and gall bladder located
what does right-upper quadrant pain suggest
hepatobiliary disease
define biliary colic and cause
colicky (severe windy) pain caused by gall bladder contraction against downstream obstruction
in biliary colic what could the obstruction be
gall stones, impingement of common bile duct (e.g. by tumour)
define jaundice and cause
hallmark symptom of liver failure caused by increase in circulating bilirubin
signs of jaundice
yellowing of skin, sclera and mucous membranes
why is circulating bilirubin increased in jaundice
hepatobiliary system unable to process amount of bilirubin in blood for pre-hepatic, hepatic or post-hepatic reasons
what causes dark urine
elevated conjugated bilirubin in urine, associated with liver disease
why does stool become pale in liver disease
bilirubin doesn’t male it to gut so stercobilin concentration, which causes pigmentation of faeces, will decrease
define ascites
generalised oedema of >30mL in abdominal cavity
what causes ascites
cancer, malnutrition, liver failure
disorders of upper GI tract
haemoptysis, melaena, nausea, vomiting, haematemesis, dysphagia, odynophagia, heartburn, acid regurgitation, belching, chest pain, epigastric pain
define haemoptysis
coughing up blood (GI or respiratory disease)
define malaena and cause
black tarry stool due to upper GI bleeding, with pigment altered by gut flora, digestive enzymes and secretions
define nausea
queeziness with/without inclincation to vomit
define vomiting (emesis)
voluntary/involuntary rapid ejection of stomach contents
define haematemesis
vomitting blood
define dysphagia
difficulty in swallowing food, fluid
define odynophagia
pain during swallowing food, fluid
define heartburn and common cause
central burning sensation, acid regurgitation
define acid regurgitation
process of stomach acid entering oesophagus
define belching
voluntarily/involuntarily excess air in stomach escaping through mouth
define chest pain
perception of discomfort in central chest pain
causes of chest pain
referred pain, or not; includes heartburn
define epigastric pain
discomfort in central upper abdomen