GI Flashcards
What presents with symptoms such as heartburn, regurgitation, dysphagia, and normally has a normal physical exam?
GERD
What diagnostic tool is used when working a pt up for GERD?
Upper EGD
What are the treatments for GERD?
Lifestyle mods (weight loss, avoid triggers)
H2 blockers (famotidine/Pepcid)
PPI (omeprazole)
Surgery for severe/unresponsive disease
What can occur as a result of GERD, infection, or use of meds (such as NSAIDs)?
Esophagitis
What signs/symptoms would a pt with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) present with?
Recurrent dysphagia w/food impaction
Ringed appearance in esophagus on EGD
Esophageal narrowing
What is 1st line treatment for EoE?
PPI
What would cause you to suspect Barrett’s esophagus in a pt being treated for GERD?
Epithelial changes in the esophagus on EGD
What is the treatment for Barrett’s esophagus?
Long term PPI
Possible resection
What is the most common cause of esophageal cancer in the US?
Adenocarcinoma
What is achalasia?
Failure of the LES relaxation and peristalsis
What are signs/symptoms of achalasia?
Progressive dysphagia
Regurgitation of undigested food
Chest pain
Globus sensation
Bird beak sign on barium swallow
What is the gold standard test for esophageal motility disorders?
Esophageal manometry
What is the treatment for achalasia?
Botox injections
Pneumatic dilation
Heller myotomy
What 2 things commonly cause gastritis?
NSAIDs
H. pylori
What are the signs/symptoms of gastritis?
Burning epigastric pain
Indigestion
Epigastric bloating
What is the treatment for gastritis?
Discontinue PPIs (if no H. pylori) and NSAIDs
Treat if H. pylori
How long does a pt have to be off PPIs/H2 blockers before you can do a urea breath test for H. pylori?
2 weeks
How do you treat H. pylori?
Triple or quad therapy
Quad: bismuth, metro, tetracycline, PPI
Triple: clarithromycin, metro or amoxicillin, PPI
What are the signs/symptoms of peptic ulcer disease (PUD)?
Epigastric pain that is achy, gnawing, hunger-like
May have anorexia, weight loss, hematemesis, melena, and anemia
What is the gold standard diagnostic test for PUD?
Upper EGD
What is the treatment for PUD?
EGD w/ 1 of the following: electrocautery, epinephrine, thermocoagulation, multipolar electrocoagulation
Hospital admission if recurrence of bleeding/hemodynamically unstable
High dose PPI x 2 weeks (IV 3 days) then switch to low dose PPI x 4-8 weeks
Treat for H. pylori (if detected)
What condition is characterized by refractory peptic ulcers and diarrhea that is 2/2 gastric acid hypersecretion?
Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome (ZES)
What commonly causes gastric acid hypersecretion?
Gastrinomas
What diagnostic tests are ordered if pt is suspected to have ZES?
Upper EGD
Fasting gastrin level (>10x ULN)
Gastric pH (< 2)
Secretin stimulation test
What is the treatment for ZES?
Long-term high dose PPI
Anti-tumor treatment if metastatic disease present (octreotide, alfa-interferon)
Resection of gastrinoma if no hx of MEN I
Early bone density testing
What presents with symptoms such as reflux that is unresponsive to typical therapeutics, epigastric fullness, early satiety, nausea, vomiting of food eaten hours to days after intake, and weight loss with abdominal distention, and decreased frequency of bowel sounds?
Gastroparesis
What constitutes a positive gastric emptying study?
> 10% retention of solid food after 4 hours
What is the treatment for gastroparesis?
Gastroparesis diet (small/frequent meals low in fat/fiber)
Vitamin supplementation
Antiemetic (zofran)
Pro-kinetic agents (short term) (reglan)
TPN (if nutrition issues)
What is a common cause of intestinal failure that is characterized by the inability to absorb nutrients from food 2/2 having a small bowel that is too short (usually from previous bowel resections)?
Short bowel syndrome
What is a malabsorptive disorder that develops 2/2 gut stasis and a resulting change in the normal microbiome?
Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO)
What are the signs/symptoms of SIBO?
Food sensitivities
Abdominal cramping/bloating
Constipation
Steatorrhea
Diarrhea
Increased flatus
What is the gold standard diagnostic test for SIBO?
Small bowel aspiration and culture
What is the treatment for SIBO?
Rifaximin 550mg PO TID x 7-14 days OR
Neomycin 500mg BID + Rifaximin or Augmentin 500mg TID