Terminology

Question 1

What is dysentery?

Answer 1

Dysentery is diarrhea containing blood and mucus, resulting from inflammation of the walls of the gastrointestinal tract, especially the colon.

Question 2

What is tenesmus?

Answer 2

Tenesmus is a spasmodic contraction of anal or bladder sphincter with pain and persistent desire to empty the bowel or bladder, with involuntary ineffectual straining efforts.

Question 3

What is steatorrhea?

Answer 3

Steatorrhea is fatty stools, as seen in some malabsorption syndromes.

Question 4

What is osmotic diarrhea?

Answer 4

Osmotic diarrhea occurs when highly concentrated substances that cannot be absorbed (such as antacids, lactulose, lactose) pull water from the intestinal wall into the stool.

Question 5

What is xertostomia?

Answer 5

Xerostomia is decreased production or lack of saliva.

Question 6

What is odynophagia?

Answer 6

Odynophagia is painful swallowing.

Question 7

What is achalasia?

Answer 7

Achalasia is the failure of the smooth muscles between the lower esophagus and the stomach to relax. It is a cause of dysphasia. The cause of achalasia is unknown.

Symptoms & Signs: Patients with achalasia report gradual onset of increasing difficulty swallowing, both for solids and liquids.

Question 8

What is a Schatzki ring?

Answer 8

A Schatzki ring is a lower esophageal mucosal ring composed of thin annular weblike tissue located at the squamocolumnar junction at or near the border of the lower esophageal sphincter.

Question 9

What is eosinophilic esophagitis?

Answer 9

Eosinophilic esophagitis is dysphasia and heartburn resulting from allergy to inhaled or consumed antigens. Biopsies of the esophagus reveals infiltration of the esophagus by eosinophils. It is treated with corticosteroids.

Question 10

What is scleroderma esophagitis?

Answer 10

Scleroderma esophagitis is ineffective contractions of the esophagus combined with loss of tone in the lower esophageal sphincter.

Question 11

What is Barrett esophagus?

Answer 11

Barrett esophagus is a metaplastic lesion of the lower esophagus that may predispose patients to dysplasia or adenocarcinoma.

Causes: Barrett esophagus is caused by injury to the distal esophagus by acid reflux, eventually causing the squamous epithelium to be replaced by metaplastic columnar epithelium.

Treatment: Medications for acid reflux include H2-antagonists (famotidine) or proton pump inhibitors (omeprazole).

Question 12

What is metaplasia?

Answer 12

Metaplasia is the conversion of one kind of tissue into a form that is not normal for that tissue.

Question 13

What is hematemesis?

Answer 13

Hematemesis is the vomiting of blood.

Question 14

What is hematochezia?

Answer 14

Hematochezia is the passage of bright red blood in the stool.

Question 15

What is melena?

Answer 15

Melena is black tarry feces caused by digestion of blood in the gastrointestinal tract. It is common in the newborn and in adult patients with gastrointestinal bleeding from the esophagus, stomach, or proximal small intestine.

Question 16

What is secretin?

Answer 16

Secretin is a hormone secreted by the duodenal mucosa that stimulates sodium bicarbonate secretion by the pancreas and bile secretion from the liver. It inhibits the release of gastrin and decreases gastrointestinal peristalsis and motility.

Question 17

What is ileus?

Answer 17

Ileus is the loss of bowel motility, occasionally resulting in intestinal obstruction. It is characterized by loss of the forward flow of intestinal content, often accompanied by cramps in the abdomen, increasing abdominal dissension, obstipation or constipation, vomiting, electrolyte disturbances,n and dehydration.

Ileus usually occurs after abdominal surgery but may also occur in response to trauma, toxemias or peritonitis of because of electrolyte deficiencies (esp. hypokalemia) or from the use of drugs, e.g. anti holiness is and ganglion is blocking agents.

Question 18

What is cholecystokinin (CCK)?

Answer 18

Cholecystokinin (CCK) is a hormone secreted into the blood by the mucosa of the upper small intestine. It stimulates contraction of the gallbladder and pancreatic secretion.

Question 19

What is atresia?

Answer 19

Atresia is congenital absence or closure of a normal body opening or tubular structure.

Question 20

What is biliary atresia?

Answer 20

Biliary atresia is closure or absence of some or all of the major bile ducts.

Question 21

What is duodenal atresia?

Answer 21

Duodenal atresia is congenital closure of a portion of the duodenum.

Question 22

What is ileus?

Answer 22

Ileus is loss of bowel motility, occasionally resulting in intestinal obstruction. It is characterized by loss of the forward flow of intestinal contents, often accompanied by cramps in the abdomen, increasing abdominal distention, obstipation or constipation, vomiting, electrolyte disturbances, and dehydration.

Question 23

What is gastrin?

Answer 23

Gastrin is a hormone secreted by G cells in the antrum of the stomach, the duodenum, and the pancreas. The hormone is released into gastric venous blood and flows into the liver and the systemic circulation. It stimulates gastric acid secretion, the growth of gastric epithelial and parietal cells, and gastrointestinal motility. Secretion is stimulated by many factors including stomach distension, vagal nerve stimulation, and the presence of food in the stomach.

Question 24

What is somatostatin?

Answer 24

Somatostatin is a peptide that regulates and inhibits the release of hormones by many different neuroendocrine cells in the brain, pancreas, and gastrointestinal tract. Somatostatin inhibits gastric motility and gastric acid secretion, blocks the exocrine and endocrine function of the pancreas, and inhibits the release of growth hormone by the anterior pituitary gland; it also inhibits the growth and release of hormones by neuroendocrine tumors. It is also used to treat variceal hemorrhage in patients with cirrhosis and to treat pancreatitis. Octreotide is a synthetic version of somatostatin.

Question 25

What is gastric inhibitory peptide (GIP) or glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide?

Answer 25

Gastric inhibitory peptide (GIP) or glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide is a polypeptide hormone secreted by the duodenum and jejunum that inhibits motility and the secretion of gastric hydrochloric acid and pepsin and that stimulates insulin secretion.

Question 26

What is motilin?

Answer 26

Motilin is a polypeptide that is secreted by M cells of the small intestine and promotes peristalsis in the gastrointestinal tract.

Question 27

What is vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)?

Answer 27

Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) is a peptide present in the mucosa of the gastrointestinal tract. One of its principal actions is to inhibit gastric acid secretion. Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide is also present in nerve fibers of the female genital tract.