Gastrointestinal Disorders and Nutrition

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering symptoms of GI dysfunction, motility and mucosal disorders, post-gastrectomy syndromes, malabsorption, and nutritional disorders based on lecture notes.

Vomiting

Forceful empty of stomach/intestinal contents through mouth, triggered by sympathetic (splanchnic) or vagal stimulation.

Nausea

A subjective sensation; retching begins with deep inspiration and pressure changes.

Anorexia (General)

Loss or reduced desire to eat due to illness, medicine, or disorders.

Constipation

Decrease in number of bowel movements per week, often caused by sedentary lifestyle, surgery, or drugs like opiates and calcium/aluminum-containing antacids.

Diarrhea

Frequent, loose or watery stools; $3+$ defections a day is considered abnormal.

Osmotic diarrhea

A condition where a non-absorbable substance pulls water into the intestinal lumen through osmosis.

Secretory diarrhea

Caused by excessive secretion of water and electrolytes ($Cl^-$, bicarbonate, sodium) due to bacterial enterotoxins or hormones like Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide (VIP).

Cholera

A condition that releases a toxin preventing water absorption by stimulating intestinal cells to secrete chloride, resulting in "rice-water diarrhea."

Motility diarrhea

Occurs when food moves too quickly through the intestines due to surgical bypass, resection of the small intestine, or fistulas.

Parietal pain

Sharp pain localized to a particular point on the peritoneum (abdominal wall).

Visceral pain

Dull or crampy pain originating from abdominal organs, such as a stomachache.

Referred pain

Pain felt at a different location than the affected organ, such as umbilicus area pain during appendicitis.

Upper GI Bleeds

Bleeding involving the esophagus, stomach, or duodenum, often caused by peptic ulcers.

Lower GI Bleeds

Bleeding involving the jejunum, ileum, colon, or rectum, caused by polyps, inflammatory disease, or cancer.

Hematemesis

The presence of blood in vomit.

Hematochezia

Bright red or burgundy blood passed from the rectum.

Melena

Dark, tarry stools indicating an upper GI bleed.

Occult bleeding

Slow, chronic blood loss that is not visible to the eye and requires lab tests like the fecal occult blood test to detect.

Dysphagia

Difficulty swallowing, which can be mechanical (obstruction) or functional (neural/muscular disorders).

Achalasia

A rare disorder related to denervation of smooth muscle in the middle/lower esophagus and the failure of Lower Esophageal Sphincter (LES) relaxation.

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)

Reflux of chyme from the stomach to the esophagus caused by Lower Esophageal Sphincter (LES) pressure being lower than normal.

Hiatal Hernia

Protrusion of the upper part of the stomach through the diaphragm into the thorax.

Sliding Hiatal Hernia

The most common type where the stomach slides into the thoracic cavity through the hiatus.

Paraesophageal (rolling) Hiatal Hernia

Occurs when the greater curvature of the stomach passes through a secondary opening in the diaphragm, potentially restricting blood flow.

Pyloric Obstruction

The narrowing or blocking of the opening between the stomach and the duodenum.

Ileus

An intestinal obstruction caused by conditions preventing normal flow of chyme or a lack of normal intestinal motility (paralytic ileus).

Gastritis

Inflammatory disorder of the gastric mucosa, which can be acute (caused by Helicobacter pylori or NSAIDs) or chronic (atrophy in the elderly).

Peptic Ulcer Disease (PUD)

Ulceration in the protective mucosal lining of the lower esophagus, stomach, or duodenum.

Duodenal Ulcers

The most common PUD, often caused by H. pylori and characterized by pain occurring a while after eating.

Gastric Ulcers

Ulcers associated with chronic gastritis where pain occurs immediately after eating.

Dumping Syndrome

Rapid emptying of hypertonic chyme from the stomach after eating due to loss of gastric capacity or emptying control.

Alkaline reflux gastritis

Stomach inflammation caused by bile reflux and proteolytic enzymes from pancreatic secretions disrupting the mucosal barrier.

Volvulus

A condition where a loop of intestines twists around itself and the supporting mesentery.

Celiac Disease

An autoimmune digestive disorder triggered by gluten that damages the small intestine.

Pancreatic insufficiency

Deficient production of enzymes needed for the breakdown of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats.

Lactase Deficiency

Lack of the enzyme lactase, preventing the breakdown of lactose into monosaccharides and causing osmotic diarrhea.

Bile Salt Deficiency

A lack of bile acids necessary for fat absorption, also leading to poor absorption of fat-soluble vitamins ($A$, $D$, $E$, and $K$).

Ulcerative Colitis

Chronic inflammatory disease causing ulceration of colonic mucosa extending from the rectum to the colon.

Crohn Disease

Idiopathic inflammatory disorder affecting the GI tract from mouth to anus, characterized by "skip lesions" and a "cobblestone" appearance.

Diverticulosis

Asymptomatic sac-like out-pouchings of mucosa that herniate through the muscle layers of the colon wall.

Appendicitis

Inflammation of the vermiform appendix, considered the most common surgical emergency of the abdomen.

Obesity

A condition defined by a body mass index (BMI) greater than $30$, serving as a major risk factor for hypertension and stroke.

Anorexia Nervosa

A psychiatric/physiologic syndrome involving a body weight $< 15\%$ of normal and the absence of at least $3$ consecutive menses.

Bulimia

Binge eating followed by purging, occurring at least $2$ episodes per week for at least $3$ months.

Marasmus

A severe overall calorie deficit leading to thinness and muscle wasting.

Kwashiorkor

Protein deprivation in the presence of adequate carbohydrate intake, characterized by edema and a swollen belly.