NURSING 283: DIGESTIVE STUDY GUIDE
QUIZ WITH A
Lower GI tract disorders
o Celiac disease
▪ Pathophysiology:
, • Malabsorption syndrome -> can’t digest gluten
▪ Etiology:
• Linked to genetic factors
• Defect in intestinal enzyme
▪ Signs and symptoms:
• Steatorrhea (fatty feces)
• Muscle wasting
• Failure to gain weight
• Irritability and malaise
▪ Diagnostic tests:
• Series of blood tests (celiac blood panel)
o Checking for autoantibodies,
• Duodenal biopsy
• Try a gluten-free diet to see for improvement
o Chronic inflammatory bowel disease
▪ Pathophysiology:
• Inflammation of the digestive tract
▪ Etiology:
• Idiopathic (unknown)
▪ Two types:
,• Crohn’s disease (usually in children)
o Begins in the ileum
o Skip lesion
▪ Affected segments of intestine are clearly
separated by areas of normal tissue
o Signs and symptoms:
▪ Diarrhea, abdominal cramping
▪ Soft, semi-formed stool
▪ Melena (ulcer erosion)
, ▪ Pain, tenderness
▪ Anorexia, weight loss, anemia, fatigue
• Ulcerative colitis
o Beings in lower portion of the rectum
o Bad (bottom) works its way into good (top)
▪ Needs to be removed
o Signs and symptoms:
▪ Diarrhea, abdominal cramping
▪ Frequent watery stools
• Blood and mucus present
▪ Tenesmus
• Persistent spasms of the rectum
associated with a need to defecate
▪ Rectal bleeding
▪ Fever, weight loss
o Appendicitis
▪ Pathophysiology:
• Inflammation and infection in the vermiform appendix
▪ Etiology:
• Obstruction of the appendiceal lumen
QUIZ WITH A
Lower GI tract disorders
o Celiac disease
▪ Pathophysiology:
, • Malabsorption syndrome -> can’t digest gluten
▪ Etiology:
• Linked to genetic factors
• Defect in intestinal enzyme
▪ Signs and symptoms:
• Steatorrhea (fatty feces)
• Muscle wasting
• Failure to gain weight
• Irritability and malaise
▪ Diagnostic tests:
• Series of blood tests (celiac blood panel)
o Checking for autoantibodies,
• Duodenal biopsy
• Try a gluten-free diet to see for improvement
o Chronic inflammatory bowel disease
▪ Pathophysiology:
• Inflammation of the digestive tract
▪ Etiology:
• Idiopathic (unknown)
▪ Two types:
,• Crohn’s disease (usually in children)
o Begins in the ileum
o Skip lesion
▪ Affected segments of intestine are clearly
separated by areas of normal tissue
o Signs and symptoms:
▪ Diarrhea, abdominal cramping
▪ Soft, semi-formed stool
▪ Melena (ulcer erosion)
, ▪ Pain, tenderness
▪ Anorexia, weight loss, anemia, fatigue
• Ulcerative colitis
o Beings in lower portion of the rectum
o Bad (bottom) works its way into good (top)
▪ Needs to be removed
o Signs and symptoms:
▪ Diarrhea, abdominal cramping
▪ Frequent watery stools
• Blood and mucus present
▪ Tenesmus
• Persistent spasms of the rectum
associated with a need to defecate
▪ Rectal bleeding
▪ Fever, weight loss
o Appendicitis
▪ Pathophysiology:
• Inflammation and infection in the vermiform appendix
▪ Etiology:
• Obstruction of the appendiceal lumen
