Case 8 Flashcards
How can Mr Muller’s symptoms be described?
Reflux and dyspepsia
What is dyspepsia?
Recurrent epigastric pain, heartburn or symptoms of acid regurgitation, with or without bloating, nausea or vomiting
What are underlying causes of dyspepsia?
Oesophageal reflux
Gastroenteritis
In addition to dyspepsia, what are other symptoms a patient with oesophageal reflux may experience?
Belching, excess salivation known as water brash
In addition to dyspepsia, what are other symptoms a patient with gastroenteritis may experience?
Fever, vomiting and diarrhoea
What are a list of differentials for dyspepsia?
Coeliac disease Inflammatory bowel disease GORD Gastritis Pancreatitis Medication side effects Functional dyspepsia Gallbladder disease Gastroenteritis Stress Peptic ulcer disease Coronary heart disease
What are the 5 most likely diagnosis for Mr Muller?
GORD Functional dyspepsia Gastritis Stress Peptic ulcer disease
What is functional dyspepsia?
Most common cause of dyspepsia
Its where an individual suffers symptoms of dyspepsia but routine investigations do not reveal causative abnormalities
What is gastritis?
Inflammation of the gastric mucosa
Often resolves by itself
Whats is the overlap between functional dyspepsia and gastritis?
In functional dyspepsia, endoscopy often reveals an element of gastritis
However even if gastritis is resent it doesn’t correlate with the degree of symptoms which is why its called functional dyspepsia
What can cause gastritis?
Gastritis can be symptomatic and problematic e.g. when caused by infection, medications e.g NSAIDs (effect integrity of mucous lining of stomach), or alcohol excess
What can gastritis lead to?
Stomach ulceration
What can stress be associated with?
Can be associated with functional dyspepsia, overt gastritis, peptic ulceration
What is oesophagitis?
Reflux irritates the oesophagus
What is peptic ulcer disease?
Gastric ulceration or duodenal ulceration
How would gallbladder disease present?
Dyspepsia
Pain would be more colicky in nature
What is colicky pain?
Intermittent, spasmodic pain that occurs when a hollow tube contracts to try and relieve obstruction
Eg. gallstones cause colicky pain along with renal stones and intestinal obstruction
How does pancreatitis present?
Associated with signs and symptoms of pancreatic insufficiency e.g steatorrhea or diabetes
What are risk factors Mr Muller has for coronary disease?
Stress
Smoking history
Angina pain can present as dyspepsia
What term is given to signs or symptoms with a more serious underlying pathology?
Red Flag symptoms
Why is the concept of red flags useful?
Help bus risk stratify so we can differentiate between more innocent symptoms and possible dangerous underlying pathology.
This allows those that need it to get early investigation and management
What are important red flags?
Back pain- spinal cord compression? malignancy? infection?
Red flags for back pain: previous cancer, bladder/bowel dysfunction, fever
Headaches- meningitis? intracerebral tumour? infection? acute bleed?
Red flags for headache: meningism (meninges irritated- raised inter-cranial pressure or sudden/severe headache)
What red flags make a doctor suspicious for upper GI cancer?
Mass
Dysphagia
Weight Loss
Where can you find red flag features?
Referral guidelines
E.g. NICE guidlines
What is the term given for vomiting blood?
Haematemesis
In the NICE guidelines, what are the refer outlines for suspected upper GI cancer?
Urgent referral: upper abdominal mass consistent with stomach cancer
Urgent upper GI endoscopy: dysphagia, weightloss, upper abdominal pain, reflux, dyspepsia
Non-urgent upper GI endoscopy: haematemesis
- if over 55: treatment resistant dyspepsia, abdominal pain with low Hb, low platelet count with nausea/vomiting/weight-loss/reflux/dyspepsia/abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting with weight loss/reflux/dyspepsia/upper abdominal pain
What are 7 investigations the GP should carry out for Mr Muller at initial presentation of symptoms?
Test for H. Pylori FBC LFTs Alcohol history Medication history Weight ECG
What are benefits of an ECG?
Quick and non-invasive
Ideally during pain (to see if associate with cardiac ischaemia)
Might highlight abnormalities
What are benefits of measuring weight?
Simple an free
Monitering
BMI
What is the importance of taking an alcohol history?
Above the limit? (Recommend is 14 units per week)
Clinical consequences- e.g alcoholic gastritis or liver damage
Offer support
What’s the importance of taking a medication history?
Include over the counter
Those that relax the oesophageal sphincter e.g. Ca channel blockers and nitrates
Those that affect gastric mucosa e.g. NSAIDs and aspirin
Why is it important to test for H. Pylori?
Common is dyspepsia
Gastric, peptic ulcer diseases and gastric malignancies (inc. adenocarcinoma, MALT lymphoma)
Highly prevalent (~50% of population have it living in their stomachs))