Diarrhea and Constipation Flashcards
Duration of persistent diarrhea
2-4 weeks
Patients with hemochromatosis are especially prone to invasive enteric infections with these organisms (2)
Yersinia and Vibrio spp.
Most common etiologic agent of infectious diarrhea in institutionalized persons
Clostridium difficile
Most common noninfectious cause of diarrhea
Medications
Diagnosis: abrupt-onset diarrhea that persists for at least 4 weeks; may last 1-3 years; may be associated with subtle inflammation of the distal small intestine or proximal colon
Brainerd diarrhea (thought to be infectious in origin)
Major cause of death in acute diarrhea
Dehydration
Complication of bismuth subsalicylate in immunocompromised patients or those with renal impairment
Bismuth encephalopathy
Pancreatic cholera, or watery diarrhea hypokalemia achlorhydria syndrome is due to this non-beta cell pancreatic adenoma
VIPoma
Most common secretory causes of chronic diarrhea
Drugs and toxins
Class of drugs that can inhibit diarrhea caused by large colorectal villous adenomas
NSAIDs
Acid-base disorder in congenital chloridorrhea
Metabolic alkalosis
Acid-base disorder in congenital sodium diarrhea
Metabolic acidosis
Tonic contraction of this muscle is important to maintain fecal continence
Puborectalis muscle
Steatorrhea is defined as stool fat exceeding this normal level
7 g/d
Most common cause of chronic diarrhea due to intraluminal maldigestion
Pancreatic exocrine insufficiency
Most common cause of chronic diarrhea due to mucosal malabsorption
Celiac disease
Ocular condition associated with abetalipoproteinemia
Retinitis pigmentosa
Drugs implicated in microscopic colitis (4)
NSAIDs, statins, PPIs, and SSRIs
Crystals seen on stool exam due to extruded eosinophil contents
Charcot-Leyden crystals
Most sensitive test for giardiasis
Giardia antigen assay
Adrenergic agonist that may allow control of diabetic diarrhea
Clonidine
Screening test for anorectal dysfunction
Balloon expulsion test
Lack of straightening of the rectoanal angle by this value on dynamic imaging studies during defecation confirms pelvic floor dysfunction
15 degrees
