Malnutrition Flashcards
What is malnutrition?
A sudden or chronic decrease in nutritional intake affecting growth, healing, and life maintenance.
Malnutrition can manifest as acute or chronic, each with distinct characteristics.
Define acute malnutrition.
A brief period of inadequate nutrition most often relating to an acute illness with high inflammatory state, resulting in muscle wasting and rapid weight loss.
Acute malnutrition is often linked to immediate health crises.
What characterizes chronic malnutrition?
Inadequate nutrition lasting more than 3 months, often secondary to social, behavioural, and economic factors in addition to illness-related causes.
Chronic malnutrition can lead to long-term health issues.
List the main reasons for malnourishment.
- Inadequate amounts of nutrients (e.g. poor diet)
- Difficulty absorbing nutrients (e.g. GI dysfunction - coeliac disease)
- Increased nutritional demands (e.g. post-surgery for healing)
These factors can vary widely among individuals.
What are some clinical features of malnutrition?
- High susceptibility or prolonged infections
- Slow or poor wound healing
- Altered vital signs - bradycardia, hypotension
- Depleted subcutaneous fat
- Low skeletal muscle mass
- In children: wasting, stunting, underweight
Clinical features can vary based on age and severity of malnutrition.
Fill in the blank: Wasting in children refers to _______.
low weight for age
Wasting is a critical indicator of acute malnutrition.
Fill in the blank: Stunting in children refers to _______.
low height for age
Stunting is a long-term consequence of chronic malnutrition.
What are the methods of feeding for malnourished patients with safe swallow?
- High-energy-high-protein supplements
- Fortified food products
These methods aim to enhance nutritional intake safely.
What are the methods of feeding for malnourished patients with unsafe swallow?
- NG feeding (short-term)
- Gastrostomy (PEG) or jejunostomy (long-term)
These methods are used when oral intake is not possible.
What is parenteral nutrition used for?
Intestinal failure.
Parenteral nutrition provides nutrients directly into the bloodstream.
What is refeeding syndrome?
A potentially dangerous condition that can occur when feeding is restarted in individuals who are malnourished.
It can lead to serious electrolyte imbalances.
List two complications associated with refeeding syndrome.
- Hypokalaemia
- Hypophosphataemia
These complications arise due to rapid changes in metabolism during refeeding.
