Heartburn Flashcards
What is the definition of eCare?
An interoperable standard for pharmacy providers to have a method of exchanging information
-> related to:
-patient goals
-health concerns
-active medication list,
-drug therapy problems
-laboratory results
-vitals
-payer information and billing services
What is Interoperability?
Commonly agreed to a way of communicating data
Reasons to use eCare?
-Lowering the number of miscommunications and medical errors (writing, speaking)
-assuring the message actually received by the physician
-follow up and monitoring
-prevention of chronic disease by optimizing medication use
Goals of eCare
-informed decision-making at all levels of patient care
-focused on the pharmacist-physician documentation
-Medication Therapy Problem
-Patient Goals
-Interventions
What are possible factors contributing to heartburn?
-Spicy food
-Alcohol
-eating shortly before going to bed
-NSAIDs
-Overweight
-No activity -> Exercise is preventative
Function of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES)
-Permits passage of food into the stomach
-Contracted at rest
-Transient relaxation in healthy individuals
-The damage caused by gastric content is reduced due to mucosal resistance of the esophageal
How is the content cleared from the esophagus?
Peristalsis, Saliva, gravity
What alters the tightness of the LES?
-Age
-Medication
-Pressure (obesity, pregnancy)
Clinical Presentation: Heartburn
-Pressure arising from the lower chest
-feeling that food is coming up
-belching
How often?
Mild: infrequent, episodic -> diet or lifestyle
Frequent: 2 days or more per week !!! EXAM
What causes the relaxation of LES when not supposed to?
Pathophysiology
-Stimulation of sensory nerve endings in the esophagus
-> Spicy foods or reflux of gastric contents into the esophagus
-noxious quality of gastric contents: refluxed bile, gastric enzymes
-Esophageal tissue damage: due to bile, pepsin, gastric acid
-pressure
-impaired peristalsis (fe slowed gastric emptying (drug: GLP-1), saliva: reduced clearing of refluxed content from the esophagus
Factors contributing to heartburn
-Diet
-Constipation
-Isometric exercises
-Lifestyle: No Exercising, smoking, anxiety, obesity
-Genetics, pregnancy
Meds contributing to heartburn
-Aspirin/NSAIDs
-Vitamin C (high dose can aggravate acid reflux due acidity)
-Iron supplements
-many more…
What is the frequency of symptoms in GERD?
Frequent and persistent: 2 or more days per week
-> Symptoms / Esophaegal damage
-should be REFERRED
What are the typical symptoms of GERD?
-Heartburn, acid regurgitation (acid taste in
mouth), hypersalivation
What are the alarming symptoms of GERD?
-Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing)
-odynophagia (pain when swallowing)
-chest pain
-upper GI bleeding
-unexplained
-weight loss
-nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
-> REFERRAL
What are the diseases GERD can turn into?
-Erosive esophagitis
-Strictures (difficulties eating, swallowing)
-Bleeding
-Barrett’s esophagus
-Esophageal cancer
Dyspepsia
Subjective feeling of discomfort primarily in the upper abdomen
-> associated with epigastric pain, burning, fullness after a meal, earl satiety
LESS commonly belching, bloating, nausea and vomiting
Peptic ulcer disease (PUD)
-Gnawing or burning epigastric pain
-maybe together with heartburn and dyspepsia
-erosive (ätzend) component
-REFER -> longer treatment
during the day, and frequently at night
Exclusion self-treatment heartburn
-heartburn for more than 3 months
-heartburn while on OTC PPI
-self-treatment for 2 weeks but still heartburn
-severe heartburn and dyspepsia
-Nocturnal (at night) heartburn
-Odynophagia/dysphagia (difficulty swallowing)
More exclusions
-Coffee ground emesis (coughing of dark coagulated blood)/melena (black stool)
-Chronic hoarseness, wheezing, coughing, choking
-weight-loss
-N/V/D
-cardiac chest pain
-pregnancy, children