Week 5 Flashcards
What does type 1 look like on the Bristol stool form scale?
Separate hard lumps, like nuts hard to pass
What does type 2 look like on the Bristol Stool Form Scale?
Sausage shaped but lumpy
What does type 3 look like on the Bristol Stool Form Scale?
Like sausage but with cracks on its surface
What does type 4 look like on the Bristol Stool Form Scale?
Like sausage or snake, smooth and soft
What does type 5 look like on the Bristol Stool Form Scale?
Soft blobs with clear cut edges (passed easily)
What does type 6 look like on the Bristol Stool Form Scale?
Fluffy pieces with ragged edges, a mushy stool
What does type 7 look like on the Bristol Stool Form Scale?
Watery, no solid pieces
What type on the Bristol Stool Form Scale is considered normal stool?
Type 3 or 4
What is the definition of diarrhoea?
- A change in normal bowel habit resulting in increased frequency of bowel movements and the passage of soft or watery stool
- May be accompanied by colicky pain
What may cause colicky pain in diarrhoea?
Because as the body is trying to expel the material, there will be increased contraction of that smooth muscle which can also lead to additional production of gas and cause discomfort.
Is diarrhoea a symptom or a disease?
A symptom
What is acute diarrhoea?
Abrupt onset of more that 3 loose stools/day and lasts no longer than 14 days.
- It can have dietary causes such as various foods e.g. alcohol or spicy food
- Can be due to bacterial/viral infections
- Majority of acute diarrhoea resolves within 2-3 days without specific treatment
What is the cause of chronic diarrhoea?
- Usually a pathological cause
- Lasts longer than 14 days
- Probably a flare up of a previously diagnosed condition such as IBS
- Needs further investigation to get the underlying cause
How common is diarrhoea?
- Difficult to determine as many cases self limiting and not reported
- Common in children under 5 (Most common is gastroenteritis) + between 1-3 cases per year
This may be due to kids habits and under developed GI system which makes them more prone to such conditions. - Adults
Just under 1 episode per year
22% food related
Travellers diarrhoea
Acute diarrhoea is the second highest cause of childhood mortality. True or False
True
What two host factors are most important in determining severity and duration of diarrhoea?
- Age
- Nutritional status
The older the child, the higher risk for severe, life-threatening dehydration. True or False
False (younger the child - immune system is not as strong)
What is the definition of constipation?
The passage of hard stools (faeces) less frequently than the patient’s own normal pattern
What are the goals of constipation management
- Achieve an individual’s normal frequency of defecation
- Establishing regular, comfortable defecation
- Preventing laxative dependence
- Relieving discomfort
What is the pathophysiology of diarrhoea?
The change in the balance between the absorption and secretion of water and electrolytes
What are the 2 inflammatory disorders of the gastro-intestinal tract
- Crohn’s disease (CD)
- Ulcerative Colitis (UC)
What is Crohn’s disease?
- Affects any part of the G.I. tract from mouth to rectum
- Inflammation extends through all layers of the gut wall
- Inflammation is patchy in distribution
What is Ulcerative Colitis?
- Affects the colon and rectum only
- Only affects the mucosa (and submucosa)
- Inflammation is diffuse in distribution
Causative agents of IBD are unknown. True or False
True
What factors are thought to have a role in IBD?
- Environmental (Diet, Smoking, Infection, Drugs etc.)
- Genetic
What factors of diet have been associated with IBD?
- Fat intake
- Fast food ingestion
- Milk and fibre consumption
- Total protein and energy intake
- Refined carbohydrates
Many patients are able to identify foods that aggravate or exacerbate their symptoms - e.g. cows milk or spicy foods
How does smoking affect IBD?
- Worsens the clinical course of the disease
- Increases the risk of relapse and need for surgery
How does smoking help prevent the onset of Ulcerative Colitis?
- Chemicals in smoking affect colon smooth muscle, it alters gut motility and transit time.