GI signs / sxs / work-up Flashcards
hematemesis
vomiting blood, “coffee grounds.” Generally assoc. with upper GI bleed
hematochezia
BRBPR - bright red blood per rectum
melena
black tarry feces assoc. with upper GI bleed
icterus
bilirubin accumulation in the eyes
singultus
hiccups, usually benign and self limited
aerophagia
true air swalling, behavioral disorder causing chronic belching
eructation
burping, normal to occur post-prandial reflex to gastric distention and LES relaxation
odynophagia
sharp, substernal pain with swallowing
tenesmus
persistent, ineffectual rectal spasm/urgency. Common clinical feature of infectious diarrhea and colitis
nausea
visceral vagal afferent relaying distention, irritation, or infection: decreased gastric tone/motility, increased duo/jejuno tone
vomiting
ejection of gastric contents from the mouth, stimulation of the the chemoreceptor trigger zone (CTZ) in the medulla
flatulence
farting - derived from swallowed air or bacterial fermentation of undigested carbs (H2, CO2, and methane gas)
dysphagia
difficulty swallowing/transferring bolus from the oropharynx to esophagus
Abdominal pain
motility disorder, fecal impaction, excessive gas intake, inflammatory/infectious process,,