Constipation Flashcards
Constipation is a common problem. It means either going to the toilet less often than usual to empty the bowels, or passing hard or painful stools (faeces). How many of the following are required to be diagnosed with constipation in a child according to NICE?
- <3 complete stools per week (type 3 or 4 on Bristol Stool Form Scale (BSS))
- hard or large stools
- rabbit stool (scale 1 on BSS)
1 - 1 or more
2 - 2 or more
3 - all 3
2 - 2 or more
How common is constipation in the general population?
1 - 1-2%
2 - 5-10%
3 - 30-40%
4 - >75%
1 - 1-2%
Constipation in the general population has an incidence of 1-2%, but what is the incidence in children?
1 - 1-2%
2 - 5-30%
3 - 30-40%
4 - >75%
2 - 5-30%
Is constipation more common in men or women?
- 2-3 times more common in women
How long does constipation have to be present for to be diagnosed as chronic constipation?
1 - >2 weeks
2 - >8 weeks
3 - >16 weeks
4 - >32 weeks
2 - >8 weeks
Is constipation more common in younger or older ages?
- incidence increases with age
What is the normal stool frequency in the 1st week of life?
1 - 8/day
2 - 4/day
3 - 2/day
4 - 1/day
2 - 4/day
After the 1st week, it is typically 1/day
Which 2 of the following are the most common functional/idiopathic (no physical cause) causes of acute constipation?
1 - dehydration
2 - behavioural (nervous at school etc)
3 - hirschsprung’s disease
4 - hypercalcaemia
5 - hypothyroidism
1 - dehydration
2 - behavioural (nervous at school etc)
Which 2 of the following medications are more commonly associated with acute constipation?
1 - NSAIDs
2 - opioids (morphine, codeine)
3 - loperamide (imodium)
4 - anti-depressants
2 - opioids (morphine, codeine)
3 - loperamide (imodium)
Acute presentations of constipation can begin as an acute pathophysiology, but can also be the begining of a chronic pathology. What is the most common thing that constipation is compared against?
1 - malignancy
2 - bowel obstruction
3 - neurological disorders
4 - idiopathic
2 - bowel obstruction
Opiod medication bind to receptors in the brain and GIT. What type of membrane receptors are these?
1 - ion channel receptors
2 - enzyme associated receptors
3 - passive diffusion
4 - G couple protein receptors
4 - G couple protein receptors
Endorphones are endogenous opioid neuropeptides and peptide hormones. When they are released they bind to the inhibitory neurons, namely mu, kappa, and delta which allow dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine to be released into the CNS. What does the release of dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine cause a reduction in?
1 - muscle contractions
2 - pain
3 - abdominal peristalsis
4 - bladder control
2 - pain
The GIT walls contain mu opiod receptors. What are the 2 major effects activation of the mu opiod receptors in the GIT can have?
1 - reduced GIT motility
2 - increased GIT motility
3 - increased sphincter tone
4 - increased fluid secretion in bowels
1 - reduced GIT motility
3 - increased sphincter tone
Both cause constipation
The GIT walls contain mu opioid receptors. Opioid is able to bind with all opioid receptors inducing reduced GIT motility and increased sphincter tone. What medication, as part of our core drug list is used to treat diarrhoea, but as a consequence can cause constipation?
1 - loperamide (imodium)
2 - NSAIDs
3 - macrogol
4 - Ondansetron
1 - loperamide (imodium)
- specifically in the large intestines
When we ask about abdominal pain, we need to ask ourselves, is this a functional or organic cause. Which of the following is NOT a functional cause of abdominal pain?
1 - IBS
2 - abdominal migraine
3 - constipation
4 - functional dyspepsia
3 - constipation
Functional = pain is not physical in nature
Organic = pain has a specific physical cause