Gastrointestinal Flashcards
What is Gastro Oesophageal Reflux Disorder (GORD)
Where acid from the stomach leaks up into the oesophagus due to a faulty/damaged sphincter
Symptoms of GORD
-Heartburn- lying flat, after meals
-Epigastric pain
-Acid/water brash
-Pain on swallowing
-Nocturnal cough
Treatment for GORD
Antacids and healthy lifestyle. Consider endoscopy if bad symptoms
What is Gastritis
Stomach lining gets red and inflamed. Can be caused by alcohol consumption, NSAIDS, bacteria or smoke
Symptoms and treatment for gastritis
Stomach ache, indigestion, nausea/vomiting
Antacids
Helicobacter pylori
A type of bacteria that infects your stomach. It can damage the tissue in your stomach and the first part of your small intestine
Peptic ulcer disease
Sores that can develop on the lining of your stomach, small bowel or food pipe
Peptic ulcer symptoms
Abdominal discomfort or pain.
Nausea.
Pain radiating to the back (which could indicate the ulcer has penetrated)
Burning or gnawing feeling similar to hunger pains.
Pain aggravated by meals (may suggest gastric ulcers)
Pain relieved by meals (may suggest duodenal ulcers)
Treatment for peptic ulcer
Treating H.Pylori, stopping NSAIDS, PPIs
What is constipation?
Passage of stools less frequently than the person’s normal pattern
Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Crohn’s disease
Ulcerative colitis
Crohn’s disease
Parts of the digestive tract become inflamed, with fat wrapping around the outside of the tract.
Diarrhoea
stomach aches and cramps
blood in your poo
tiredness (fatigue)
weight loss
What might cause IBD
-Genetics
-Immune system
-Family history
-Age
-Stress
Ulcerative colitis
Long-term condition where the colon and rectum become inflamed.
recurring diarrhoea, which may contain blood, mucus or pus
tummy pain
needing to poo frequently
Irritable bowel syndrome
A common condition that affects the digestive system.
It causes symptoms like stomach cramps, bloating, diarrhoea and constipation. These tend to come and go over time, and can last for days, weeks or months at a time.
It’s usually a lifelong problem. It can be very frustrating to live with and can have a big impact on your everyday life.
There’s no cure, but diet changes and medicines can often help control the symptoms.
Diverticular disease
Diverticula are small bulges or pockets that can develop in the lining of the intestine as you get older. When symptoms arise it is diverticular disease. If pockets become inflamed or infected its called diverticulitis.
Bowel cancer
Most bowel cancers develop from polyps. Polyps are non-cancerous growths that might develop into cancer. Not all polyps develop into cancer.
Risk factors bowel cancer
-Lifestyle
-Family history
-History of IBD
Symptoms of bowel cancer
-bleeding from your bottom
-blood in your poo
-a change in your pooing habits
-feeling very tired all the time but you’re not sure why
-a pain or lump in your tummy
Gallstones
A small, hard crystalline mass formed abnormally in the gall bladder or bile ducts from bile pigments, cholesterol, and calcium salts. Gallstones can cause severe pain and blockage of the bile duct.
Causes of gallstones
-Your bile contains too much cholesterol. Normally, your bile contains enough chemicals to dissolve the cholesterol excreted by your liver. But if your liver excretes more cholesterol than your bile can dissolve, the excess cholesterol may form into crystals and eventually into stones.
-Your bile contains too much bilirubin. Bilirubin is a chemical that’s produced when your body breaks down red blood cells. Certain conditions cause your liver to make too much bilirubin. The excess bilirubin contributes to gallstone formation.
-Your gallbladder doesn’t empty correctly. If your gallbladder doesn’t empty
completely or often enough, bile may become very concentrated, contributing to the formation of gallstones.
Risk factors gallstones
-Family history
-Liver disease
- Female
-Age
-Low fibre diet
-Hormone contraceptive
Surgical procedure for gallstones
laparoscopic cholecystectomy
Cholecystitis
Inflammation of the gallbladder. It usually happens when a gallstone blocks the cystic duct.
Appendicitis
Swelling and infection in your appendix (part of your bowel).
Acute abdomen
Sudden onset of severe
abdominal pain developing over a
short time period. It has a large
number of possible causes and so a
structured approach is required.
Bowel obstruction
When food and liquids can’t move through your intestines (gut). Common with advanced cancer.
Symptoms of bowel obstruction
-Bloated
-Tummy pain
-Nausea
-Vomiting
-Constipation
