Common generlised histories - Weight loss Flashcards
What would you ask in relation to weight loss?
- How much
- Over how long
- Associated symptoms
What would you want to ask about on full systems review?
GI symptoms
- Appetite change
- Dysphagia
- N + V
- Dyspepsia
- Abdo pain
- Bowel habit change
- Tenesmus
- Blood/mucus in stool
- Bloating
- Jaundice
- Fat intolerance
Other systems if unclear
What symptoms might make you think of a malignancy as a cause of weight loss?
- Breast lump
- Haemoptysis
- Prostatic symptoms
- Bowel habit change/blood in stool
- Jaundice
- Post-menopausal bleeding
What gastrointestinal problems can commonly cause weight loss?
- Colon cancer
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Coeliac disease
What features might point towards colon cancer as a cause of weight loss?
- Elderly
- PR blood/malaena
- Change in bowel habit
What features might point towards IBD as a cause of weight loss?
- Blood/mucus in stool
- Abdo pain
What features might point you towards coeliac disease as a cause of weight loss?
- Diarrhoea
- Steatorrhoea
- Anaemia symptoms
- Abdo discomfort
What features may point towards thyrotoxicosis as a cause of weight loss?
- Diarrhoea
- Heat intolerance
- Irritability
- Tremor
- Oligomenorrhoea/amenorrhoea
What features may point towards anorexia/bulimia as a cause of weight loss?
- BMI < 17.5
- Binge eating in bulimia
- Effort to lose weight
- Menstrual cycle disturbance
What features might point towards depression as a cause of weight loss?
- Core - low mood, anhedonia, low energy
- Biological - poor sleep, low concetration
- Future - hopelessness, suicidal thoughts
What are common causes of weight loss?
- Coeliac
- IBD
- Cancers - colon or other
- Thyrotoxicosis
- Anorexia/bulimia
- Depression/Stress
- Diet change/malnutrition
- Substance misuse
- T1DM
- Chronic infection/inflammation
- HIV
