Introduction

Question 1

What are signs?

Answer 1

Externally visible and detectable to someone other than the patient

Question 2

Symptoms

Answer 2

Are internally experienced by the patient and impossible to detect by other

Question 3

Malaise

Answer 3

This sensation is quite non-specific and is the feeling of generally being unwell from an indeterminable cause.

Question 4

Rapid weight loss

Answer 4

Usually unintentional and uncontrollable

Perhaps precipitated by reduced energy intake secondary to infection or increased bowel motility

Question 5

Anorexia

Answer 5

Eating disorder usually characterised by a very low body mass
Often associated with a distorted self image

Question 6

Anaemia

Answer 6

Blood disorder- reduced ability to carry oxygen

Question 7

Haemoptysis

Answer 7

Coughing up blood

Question 8

Melaena

Answer 8

Black tarry stool

Question 9

Nausea

Answer 9

Sensation of queeziness

Question 10

Vomiting

Answer 10

rapid ejection of stomach contents

Question 11

Haematemesis

Answer 11

vomiting blood

Question 12

Dysphagia

Answer 12

difficulty swallowing

Question 13

Odynophagia

Answer 13

pain during swallowing

Question 14

heartburn

Answer 14

central burning sensation

Question 15

acid regurgitation

Answer 15

acid entering the oesophagus

Question 16

Belching

Answer 16

excess air in stomach escaping through mouth

Question 17

chest pain

Answer 17

discomfort in the central chest region

Question 18

epigastric pain

Answer 18

discomfort in the central upper abdomen

Question 19

right upper quadrant organs

Answer 19

liver, gall bladder

Question 20

right upper quadrant pain

Answer 20

hepatobiliary disease

Question 21

biliary colic

Answer 21

gall bladder contraction against a downstream obstruction

Question 22

jaundice

Answer 22

symptom of liver failure

increase in circulating bilirubin

Question 23

dark urine

Answer 23

elevated conjugated bilirubin in urine

Question 24

pale stool

Answer 24

bilirubin doesn’t make it to the gut, so stercobilin concentration will go down and stools will become pale

Question 25

ascites

Answer 25

generalised fluid accumulation in the abdominal cavity

-cancer, malnutrition and liver failure

Question 26

steatorrhoea

Answer 26

sloppy, oily faeces, due to excess fats in the stool

Question 27

diarrhoea

Answer 27

very watery faeces

Question 28

flatulence

Answer 28

farts

Question 29

cachexia

Answer 29

muscle wasting

Question 30

lymphadenopthy

Answer 30

enlargement of lymphoid tissue

Question 31

koilonychia

Answer 31

spooning of nails

Question 32

leuconychia

Answer 32

whitening of nails

Question 33

dupytren’s contracture

Answer 33

pull one or more fingers into a bent position

Question 34

haemorrhoids

Answer 34

swollen superficial blood vessels

Question 35

proctitis

Answer 35

inflammation inside rectum

Question 36

abdominal pain- consider 2 things

Answer 36

subjectivity
-each to their own

interpretability
-pain in one place doesn’t mean it originates from there

Question 37

pain in the 9 regions

Answer 37

see table

Question 38

pain can be characterised by the acronym

Answer 38

SOCRATES