Altered bowel habit

Question 1

Weight loss, blood in stool, older person

Answer 1

Colorectal cancer

Question 2

Acute onset of diarrheoa, nausea and vomiting

Answer 2

Gastroenteritis

Question 3

Blood/mucus in stool, abdominal pain

Answer 3

Inflammatory bowel disease

Question 4

Fluctuation between constipation and diarrhoea, abdominal pain, anxious personality

Answer 4

Irritable bowel syndrome

Question 5

Diarrhoea + tremor + irratability + heat intolerance

Answer 5

Hyperthryoidism

Question 6

Constipation + lethargy + cold intolerance

Answer 6

Hypothyroidism

Question 7

Drugs commonly causing altered bowel habit

Answer 7

Opiates
Iron tablets
Antacids
Antibiotics

Question 8

Steatorrhoea + abdominal pain + anaemia

Answer 8

Coeliac disease

Question 9

Possible investigations in diarrhoea?

Answer 9

Stool culture
FBC and CRP
U&Es
Coeliac serology

Suggestion of overflow- sigmoidoscopy/colonoscopy +/- biopsy

Question 10

Management of diarrhoea? (3)

Answer 10

Treat underlying cause if possible
Loperamide
Maintain fluid intake- IV fluids with U&E monitoring may be required