Transcript Gastrointestinal Disorders

Gastrointestinal Disorders
Chapter 6
Medical Considerations
Gastroesophageal Reflux
Disease
(GERD)
Causes
 Gastroesophogeal motility
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Complex process by which food and liquids
are relocated from one anatomic region to
another (esophagus to stomach)
When the process happens in the reverse
order, GERD symptoms can occur
Symptoms
 Heartburn
 Caused by acid contents of stomach flowing back up
into the esophagus as a result of inadequate
esophageal sphincter pressure
 Waterbrash
 Regurgitation of bitter tasting fluids, experienced daily
by about 10% of the general population
 Chest pain/discomfort
 Caused by excessive acid flow into the esophagus,
which becomes irritated and painful
 Excessive belching
 Arises soon after meals, and worsens with eating
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
(IBS)
Causes
 Realistically, there is no generally accepted
cause of IBS
 Hypotheses
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Food allergies
Stress
Amount of fiber in diet
Antibiotic use
GI infection
Chronic alcohol abuse
Abnormalities in GI secretions
Symptoms
 Abdominal Pain
 Dependent upon the strength of bowel
contractions
 Bloating
 Prolonged contractions prevent a normal
passage of air, triggering bloating and
belching
 Constipation/Diarrhea
 These symptoms may alternate, or one of
them may be prevalent in the patient.
Peptic Ulcer Disease
(PUD)
Causes
 70% of gastric ulcers and 90% of duodenal ulcers are
related to helicobacter pylori

These bacterium live underneath the protective
mucous lining of the stomach
 They damage the lining of the stomach and duodenum
causing inflammation and the secretion of more
stomach acid
 Ingestion of:
 Aspirin
 Ibuprofen
 Anti-arthritic medications
 Alcohol
Symptoms
 Pain
 Often described as burning, gnawing
 Usually worst when stomach is empty of
everything but acid
 Nausea/Vomiting
 Occurs most when ulcer is in pylorus, or
narrow exit of the stomach, preventing food
from leaving the stomach
 Loss of appetite
 Feeling bloated
Crohn’s Disease
Causes
 The cause of Crohn’s is also unknown
 Excluded
 Viral
 Bacterial
 Dietary
 Allergy
 Possible
 Emotions
 Environmental
 Immunological
 Genetic
Symptoms
 Diarrhea
 Improper absorption of food
 Weight Loss
 Increased elimination of fat and other food stuffs
 Abdominal pain
 Often due to intestinal spasm
 Fever
 Battles inflammation
 Anemia
 Occurs from blood loss due to ulcerations of the
intestine
Ulcerative Colitis
Causes
 Also unknown
 Excluded
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Pathological
Stress
Allergies
Toxins
 Possible
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Auto immune disorder
Symptoms
 Blood in the bowel movement
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Occurs in over 90% of patients
Amount will vary
 Diarrhea
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Occurs in 80% of patients
 Abdominal Pain
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Result of diarrhea
Conclusions
 GI disorders are rather mysterious, and
based more on theory, than scientific fact
 However, these disorders are more and more
frequently occuring throughout the general
population
 More research is necessary to remove some
of the “fog” about these disorders
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What causes them?
How are they explained from an evolutionary
perspective?