Lecture 9: Gastrointestinal (GI) Assessment Flashcards
What are the main digestive tract organs? What are the accessory organs?
Stomach, small intestine/bowel, large intestine/colon
accessory organs are the liver, pancreas, and gallbladder
What are the GU (genitourinary) organs? What are the female reproductive organs?
GU organs: kidneys, ureters, bladder, urethra
Female reproductive system: ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus, vagina
What is the peritoneum, what layers does it consist of, resulting in what space?
The membrane holding organs in place; has parietal and visceral layers, peritoneal space
what is the mesentery, what does it contain?
Attaches intestines to abdominal wall, contains blood vessels and nerves to the intestine
What are factors that affect GI health? ANMACCASP
- age
- nutrition/fluid
- medications
- activity level
- chronic condition
- comorbidities (more than 1 illness at once)
- allergies/intolerances
- stress
- pregnancy
Common GI complaints DIANPDOJCU
- dental pain
- indigestion
- anorexia
- nausea, vomiting hematemesis (blood in vomit)
- pain (most common)
- dysphagia (difficulty swallowing)
- odynophagia (pain swallowing)
- jaundice (yellowish tinge to skin)
- change in bowel function (must know their normal)
- urinary/renal symptoms
Evaluation of abdominal pain - subjective data
- OLDCARTSS
- type of pain (visceral or parietal)
- relation to food
- referred pain
- nausea? (how often, effect on appetite)
- vomiting? (characteristics)
Factors affecting elimination?
basically the same as factors affecting GI health
inflammatory bowel diseases (Crohn’s and Colitis) similarities
- both involve inflammation of the GI tract
- both have similar presentation and symptom profile
- no known cause or cure
- onset in teens/young adult years
- both are painful, relapsing and remitting
Crohn’s & Ulcerative Colitis (UC) (differentiating factors) how are they managed?
Crohn’s
- anywhere in the GI tract
- portions of healthy and diseased bowel
- affects all layers of the intestine
UC
- confined to colon (large bowel)
- whole bowel inflammation/disease
- affects just the innermost lining of bowel
management of disease with diet, meds, surgery
What is Celiac Disease? What does it cause? Management?
- autoimmune disorder of the small bowel
- not an allergy, the immune system reacts to gluten
- causes damage to the villi reducing overall surface area meant for absorption of nutrients
- standard management is gluten free diet
Important factors of bowel movements/patterns?
- frequency
- consistency
- amount
- colour
- odour
Presence of orange stool, green stool, yellow stool?
orange stool
- certain medications with beta-carotene
- antacids which contain aluminum hydroxide
green stool
- green, blue, dark purple foods
- vitamins containing chlorophyll
yellow stool
- most commonly from C-diff bacteria; “tell tale sign” of infection
Presence of clay-coloured stool, red/maroon stool, black stool?
clay-coloured stool
- mal-absorption, hepatitis, or gallbladder disorders
red/maroon stool
- presence of blood, hematochezia
black stool
- can indicate blood from upper GI bleed
- iron supplements
- beets/black licorice
- blood mixing HCl
noticing: inspecting structures of the GI system
- general appearance
- body weight/distribution
- skin
- mouth/lips/tongue
- teeth
- swallowing
- S data
- appearance of stool, urine, emesis (vomit)
