Nutrition

Question 1

What are 2 feeding strategies used in critical care?

Answer 1

1. Enteral feeding: delivering nutritious fluid past upper GI tract into stomach/small intestine
2. Parenteral feeding - bypassing GI tract altogether and delivering nutrients into the blood

Question 2

Describe enteral nutrition

Answer 2

1. Liquid food delivered to GI tract.
2. Given to patients with upper GI problems, dysphagia/trauma.
3. (Low) risks include nausea, vomiting, aspiration
4. Cheaper

Question 3

Describe parenteral nutrition

Answer 3

1. Micronutrient-rich solution slowly administered into blood.
2. Patients with dysfunctional GI tract (e.g. mid-GI blockage).
3. (High) risk of complications = blood clots, infection, liver failure
4. Can cause atrophy of GI structures due to underuse
5. Expensive

Question 4

What is short bowel syndrome?

Answer 4

Less than 100cm of functional intestinal tract.

Often necessary due to Crohns, cancer, ischaemia, ulcerative colitis, etc

Question 5

What can loss of bowel lead to?

Answer 5

Dehydration, malnutrition, malabsorption of nutrients

Question 6

What does loss of SI result in?

What does loss of LI result in?

Answer 6

SI = loss of efficient gut function through hormones and enteric nervous system

LI = increased risk of infection

Question 7

What is the most important surgical intervention to reduce reliance on parenteral nutrition?

Answer 7

Anastamosis of SI to colon.

Question 8

What are the physical effects of alcohol?

Answer 8

1. CNS
2. CVS
3. GIT
4. GUT
5. LMS
6. Endocrine and reproduction

Question 9

3 problems arising from alcohol abuse

Answer 9

1. Alcoholic Liver Disease (ALD)
2. Alcohol addiction (alcoholism)
3. Alcohol misuse