GI Emergencies, cancers and other diseases Flashcards
What is functional GI dosease?
List some common symptoms of functional GI diseases:
Treatments?
Functional GI disease - symptoms without demonstratable disease
Oesophageal - lump in throat ‘‘globus’’, regurgitation
Gastric - dyspepsia, endoscopy if ‘alarm’ symptoms, age >40
Irritable bowel syndrome - cramps, wind, diarrhoea, constipation, bloating
Treatment:
- reassurance
- fibre, other dietary changes
- anti-spasmodics
- amitriptyline or SSRIs
List the main categories of liver diseases:
Causes of liver disease?
Acute inflammation - heaptitis
Chronic inflammation - liver cirrhosis
Cancer
Causes:
- alcohol
- viruses (hep A, B, C, D, E)
- iron overload
- drugs
- autoimmune
- diabetes
- cryptogenic
- pregnancy
List some clinical features of liver disease:
Clinical features:
- jaundice
- ascites
- telangiectasia
- renal failure (hepato-renal syndrome)
- encephalopathy: confusion, impaired consciousness
- variceal haemorrhage - life threatening upper GI bleeding
- coagulopathy
- prone to infections
How is liver disease treated?
Dental aspects of liver disease?
Treatment:
- remove and treat underlying cause
- supportive - great capacity for regeneration if not cirrhotic
- liver transplant
Dental Aspects:
- coagulopathy and reduced platelets –> bleeding risk
- possible infectious underlying cause (Hep)
- liability to infection
- transplanted patients may be taking immunosuppressants
What are gastroenterological emergencies?
Acute abdomen
- sudden onset, may be vomiting, complete consipation
- causes: peptic ulcer, gall stones, pancreatitis, IBS, appendicitis, diverticulitis, cancer
- management: hospitalisation quickly!
Upper GI bleeding
- management: hospitalisation immediately
Symptoms of gastroenterological cancers?
Risk factors?
Red flag symptoms:
- dysphagia
- odynophagia
- pain
- acid reflux
- loss of appetite
- weight loss
- unexplained anaemia
- mass
Risk factors:
- barretts oesophagus
- family history
- pernicious anaemia
