diarrhoea Flashcards
contrast acute vs chronic direa
acute <14 days
chronic >4 weeks
acute - viral or bacterial cause
chronic - chronic disease
Diarrhoea: Aetiology
- viral
- bacterial
- drugs - NSAIDs
- antibiotics
- parasitic
- axiety
Diarrhoea: Definition
Diarrhoea is the passage of 3 or more loose or liquid stools per day, or more frequently than is normal for the individual.
what inflammatory markers can be tested for
CRP
caloprotein
Diarrhoea: Investigations
- floating stool - fat
- watery stool - infection
- bloody stool - inflammation or cancer
- calprotectin (marker from neutrophills)
- stool culture
bloods
- WCC - sees for infection or inflammation of gut
- anaemia - chronicity and severity
- CRP - high means inflammation
Diarrhoea: Red Flags
Dehydration - particulalry dangerous in children or elderly
Renal Failure - hypovolaemic (pre-renal AKI)
Electrolyte Imbalance - secondary to renal failure
Can lead to arrhythmias later on down line
Severe abdominal pain
Immunocompromised - more likely to have chronic diarrhoea and become dehydrated
Diarrhoea: Treatment
- Fluid + electrolyte replacement
- Abx - vancomycin
- Barrier nursing - infective control practices
- Anti-motility agents - allows water to stay for longer to be absorbed by decreasing bowel movements
- Anti-emetics - prevents nausea and vomitting
Diarrhoea: Risk Factors
Overcrowding
Dirty water
Medications
Diarrhoea: Types
- secretory
- osmotic
- exudative
- inflammatory
- dysentery
viral causes
rotravirus
SRSV
bacterial causes
- e.coli
- v.cholerae
- s.sonnei
protozoal causes
Cryptosporidium, Giardia
pathogens associated with food posioning
Salmonella, Campylobacter, C. perfringens,
B. cereus, S. aureus
salmonella incubation period, foods and symtpoms
16-48hrs
pultry, eggs
diarrhoea and some abdominal pain
campylobacter incubation period, foods and symtpoms
24-72hrs
meat products
profuse diarrhoea + severe abdominal pain
clostridium perfringes incubation period, foods and symtpoms
12-14hrs
cooked meats
colicky abdominal pain + diahrrhoea
staphylococcus aureas incubation period, foods and symtpoms
1-6hrs
finger food
severe comitting + fever
bacillus cereus incubation period, foods and symtpoms
1-6hrs
rice
profuse vomitting
