Diarrhoea

Question 1

Steatorrhoea?

Answer 1

increase stool fat -> pale, floating, smelly stools

Question 2

causes of acute diarrhoea

Answer 2

gastroenteritis

travel, diet, contact with infected people/pets?

Question 3

causes of chronic diarrhoea

Answer 3

IBS (diarrhoea alternating with constipation)
organic cause (anorexia, weight loss, nocturnal diarrhoea)

Question 4

causes of bloody diarrhoea

Answer 4

vascular (ischaemic colitis)
infective (campylobacter, shigella, salmonella, E.coli, amoeba, pseudomembranous colitis)
inflammatory (Crohn’s, UC)
Neoplastic (CRC, polyps)

Question 5

causes of mucous in faeces?

Answer 5

IBS, diverticulitis, abscess

Question 6

diarrhoea associated with medical disease

Answer 6

increase T4
autonomic neuropathy
carcinoid

Question 7

diarrhoea associated with drugs

Answer 7

Abx
PPI, cimetidine
NSAIDs
Digoxin

Question 8

blood results in patients with diarrhoea

Answer 8

FBC: increase WCC, anaemia
U&Es: decrease potassium, dehydration
increase ESR -> IBD, Ca
increase CRP -> IBD, infection
Coeliac: anti-TTG or anti-endomysial Abs

Question 9

stool test in patients with diarrhoea

Answer 9

MCS

C.diff toxin

Question 10

Treatment of diarrhoea

Answer 10

Treat cause
oral/IV rehydration
Codeine phosphate or loperamide after each loose stool
anti-emetic if needed (e.g. prochlorperazine)
Abx (e.g. cipro) in infective diarrhoea -> systemic illness