Gastroenterology

Question 1

What are common risk factors known to physicians that are related to GI emergencies?

Answer 1

excessive alcohol consumption

excessive smoking

increased stress

ingestion of caustic substances

and poor bowel habits

Question 2

What are the three main classifications of abdominal pain?

Answer 2

Visceral pain

Somatic

Referred

Question 3

What is visceral pain?

Answer 3

Pain that originates in the walls of hollow organs such as the gallbladder or appendix

Question 4

What three mechanisms can produce pain visceral pain?

Answer 4

inflammation

distention

ischemia

Question 5

Why is visceral pain not localized to any one area?

Answer 5

The nerves that transmit the pain go into multiple levels of the spinal column

Pain is often described as vague or poorly localized, dull, or crampy

Question 6

What kind of abdominal pain is described poorly and vaguely?

Answer 6

Visceral Pain

Question 7

How does the body normally respond to visceral pain?

Answer 7

Sympathetic stimulation that causes nausea and vomiting, diaphoresis and tachycardia

Question 8

Many hollow organs first cause ________ pain when they become distended and then cause _________ pain when they rupture or tear.

Answer 8

Visceral

Somatic

Question 9

What is peritonitis?

Answer 9

inflammation of the peritoneum

Question 10

Define somatic pain

Answer 10

Sharp type pain that travels along well defined neural routes.

Because of the define routes pain is more easily localized compared to visceral

Question 11

What two types of irritation can cause somatic pain?

Answer 11

Bacterial irritation (can originate from a perforated or ruptured appendix/gallbladder)

Chemical Irritation (leakage of acidic juices from the ulcer or pancreas)

Question 12

Whether the cause of somatic pain is bacterial or chemical, peritonitis can lead to what?

Answer 12

sepsis and death

Question 13

Define referred pain

Answer 13

Pain that originates in a region other than where it is felt

Question 14

Which type of abdominal pain is not a true pain producing mechanism?

Answer 14

Referred pain

Question 15

Why does referred pain occur?

Answer 15

Neural pathways from one organ pass through or over regions where the organ was formed during embryonic development

IE. The neural pathways in the diaphragm enter the spinal column at the fourth cervical vertebra.Thus causing patients that have diaphragm injury often feel pain in their necks or shoulders

Question 16

What type of abdominal pain is usually associated with sudden onsets?

Answer 16

Perforation of abdominal organs or capsules

Question 17

What type of pain is generally associated with gradual onsets?

Answer 17

Blockages of hollow organs

Question 18

What type of abdominal pain may be indicated if the patient draws his legs up to his chest or lies on his side?

Answer 18

Peritoneal inflammation

Question 19

If walking relieves abdominal pain, what kind of abdominal pain may it be?

Answer 19

GI or urinary, may be an obstruction of the gallbladder or a stone caught in the renal pelvis or ureter

Question 20

Sharp flank pain could be an indication of what?

Answer 20

Kidney stones

Question 21

Referred pain in the shoulder or neck is commonly associated with irritation where?

Answer 21

In the diaphragm, possibly caused by cholecystitis

Question 22

Gastrointestinal emergencies account for mow many and what percentage of hospitalizations every year?

Answer 22

500,000

5%

Question 23

Abdominal pain lasting over ______ hours is considered a surgical emergency

Answer 23

6

Question 24

What type of questions would you ask for other signs and symptoms associated with abdominal pain?

Answer 24

If they have vomited and what the vomitus appeared like

Changes in bowel habits (diarrhea, constipation)

Changes to fecal matter

Associated appetite and weight loss/gain