History-Taking: Digestion and Metabolism Flashcards
8 upper GI symptoms
- Abdominal pain
- Heartburn
- Nausea and vomiting
- Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia)
- Painful swallowing (Odynophagia)
- Vomiting blood (Hematemesis) –> bright red or coffee grounds
- Loss of appetite
- Jaundice
Describe dysphagia as a patient may describe it
Food “sticks” or “doesn’t go down right”
Causes to consider for dysphagia
Oropharyngeal or neuromuscular
Location of problem in dysphagia
Below sternal notch, usually esophageal
4 things to consider when a patient has jaundice
Context (travel, medications, acuity)
Color of urine and stool
Pruritus (itching)
Risk factors for hepatitis
6 lower GI symptoms
- Abdominal pain
- Change in bowel habits
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Bright red blood in the stool (hematochezia)
- Dark and tarry stools (melena)
Define acute diarrhea
<2 weeks duration
Define chronic diarrhea
≥ 4 weeks duration
9 things to consider when a patient has diarrhea
Associated cramping? Volume Frequency Consistency Mucus, pus, blood, black and tarry?? Tenesmus? (feel like pooping, but no poop) Day and night? Greasy/oily or frothy? Recent antibiotics?
2 things to differentiate for abdominal pain
Acute vs. chronic
Upper vs. lower
3 patterns of abdominal pain
Visceral
Parietal
Referred
2 different anatomical types of abdominal pain
Gastrointestinal
Genitourinary
5 basic questions to ask when a patient has abdominal pain
Location Chronology Quality Quantity/severity Aggravating and alleviating factors
5 red flag symptoms
Dysphagia Recurrent vomiting Bleeding Weight loss Fever or night sweats
Second most common cause of cancer death
Colon cancer
When is colon cancer diagnosed?
After the onset of symptoms or occult bleeding in the majority of patients
What can screening detect for colon cancer?
Asymptomatic early-stage malignancy –> improves mortality
Risk factors for colon cancer
Family history (number of family members affected, first-degree relatives, age of onset)
2 types of thyroid dysfunction
Hyperthyroidism
Hypothyroidism
7 symptoms of hyperthyroidism
Heat intolerance Sweating Nervousness Palpitations Involuntary weight loss Muscle weakness +/- tremor Diarrhea
6 symptoms of hypothyroidism
Cold intolerance Fatigue Weight gain Muscle weakness Dry, coarse skin and/or hair Constipation
How to detect type 2 diabetes in adults
Usually asymptomatic, so requires screening
5 symptoms of hyperglycemia
Polyuria Thirst and polydipsia (excessive thirst) Nocturia Blurred vision Weight loss
Symptoms of severe hyperglycemia
Dehydration
Decreased level of alertness
