Approach to Diarrhea Flashcards
What is the normal stool pattern in the US? What is the main composition of stool?
3 BM/day to 3 BM/week is normal
Mostly made of water
What is the definition of diarrhea?
Increase in stool weight greater than 200 gms/24 hrs
What is the main purpose of the small intestine? What cells are specially designed for these tasks?
Villus cells: Specialized for absorption
Crypt cells: Sepcialized for secretion
What is the main purpose of the large intestine?
Mostly absorption of fluid and electrolytes
–No villous architecture
How much water is absorbed where in the bowels?
9L of fluid enters the bowel
- ->90% is absorbed in the small intestine
- ->90% of the remaining water is absorbed by the colon
Through what pathway is most of the water resorbed?
Paracellularly
What are the two key carriers and pumps in the GI tract?
SGLT1
Na/K ATPase
What is the purpose of the Na/K ATPase?
The Na/K ATPase is the key driver for absorption! Found on the basolateral membrane, it
Creates the gradient necessary for fueling a lot of the transmembrane carrier proteins (like SGLT1)
What drug is the Na/K ATPase sensitive to?
Digitalis
What is the role of the SGLT-1 carrier protein?
On the apical surface. It uses the gradient created and moves sodium and glucose together through the lumen and into the cell.
Mostly found in the villous areas
What are the predominant transport proteins in the crypts??
Na/K-2CL transporter on the basolateral membrane moves those ions INTO the cell.
- Cl channel allows chloride to enter the lumen
- Na+ follows the balance the negative charge
- This keeps the stool moist
What happens in CFTR mutation?
The chloride channel in the apical channel is mutated, preventing movement of Cl- and thus Na+
–>constipation
What is the main intracellular signaling molecule regulating all of this?
cyclic AMP
- ->Increase
- ->more secretion
- ->decreased absorption
What factors can activate cAMP formation intracellularly?
NE Somatostain VIP Prostaglandins Also, bacterial toxins
What are the four broad mechanisms of diarrhea?
- Osmotic
- Secretory
- Inflammatory
- Dysmotility
What are some key clinical hallmarks that would make you think of osmotic diarrhea?
- Ceases with fasting
- Increase in stool osmotic gap (>100)
- -(290-2*(Na+K))
What could cause osmotic diarrhea?
Sorbitol/lactulose
Milk of magnesia
Lactose intolerant people
Malabsorption of fat (steatorrhea)