Gastrointestinal Disorders Flashcards

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering upper and lower gastrointestinal disorders, surgical procedures, and diagnostic criteria for Nursing 216.

H. pylori

The main mucosal barrier destroyer in Peptic Ulcer Disease (PUD) which produces urease to trigger an immune response that damages the stomach lining.

Prostaglandins

Substances that normally protect the stomach lining; their production is blocked by NSAIDs and aspirin, leading to weakened mucosal barriers and increased acid.

Acute Peptic Ulcer

A shallow ulcer with minimal inflammation that resolves quickly once the cause is removed.

Chronic Peptic Ulcer

A long-standing ulcer that erodes through the muscle wall with fibrous scar tissue and can persist for months or a lifetime.

Silent Ulcers

Ulcers that do not cause pain, more common in older adults and NSAID users.

Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD)

The most accurate diagnostic test for PUD; it allows for tissue biopsy to check for H. pylori or rule out cancer.

Triple Therapy

A 14-day standard treatment for H. pylori infection consisting of antibiotics (bismuth, tetracycline, metronidazole) plus a PPI.

Perforation

The most lethal complication of a large duodenal ulcer, characterized by a rigid, board-like abdomen and sudden, severe generalized abdominal pain radiating to the shoulder.

Billroth I (gastroduodenostomy)

A surgical procedure involving the removal of the distal $\frac{2}{3}$ of the stomach and reattachment to the duodenum.

Billroth II (gastrojejunostomy)

A surgical procedure involving the removal of the distal $\frac{2}{3}$ of the stomach and reattachment to the jejunum.

Dumping Syndrome

A complication after stomach surgery occurring $15-30$ minutes after eating, symptoms include weakness, palpitations, and cramping due to uncontrolled chyme entry into the small intestine.

Postprandial Hypoglycemia

A bolus of carb-heavy food triggers an insulin surge, causing blood sugar to crash about $2$ hours after eating.

Bile Reflux Gastritis

Chronic irritation and epigastric pain caused by bile backing up into the stomach; often relieved temporarily by vomiting.

Early Satiety

A classic sign of stomach cancer where the patient feels full quickly after starting a meal.

McBurney's Point

A location about $\frac{2}{3}$ of the way from the umbilicus to the right anterior superior iliac spine; the classic site of localized pain in appendicitis.

Rome III Criteria

Diagnostic criteria for IBS requiring abdominal pain for at least $3$ months plus features like improvement with defecation or changes in stool frequency/appearance.

Low-FODMAP Diet

A diet low in fermentable carbohydrates (fructose, lactose, fructans, galactans, polyols) used to manage IBS symptoms like bloating and gas.

Crohn's Disease

A type of IBD that can affect any segment of the GI tract from mouth to anus, often resulting in malabsorption and weight loss.

Ulcerative Colitis

A type of IBD limited to the colon and rectum, primarily characterized by bloody diarrhea and abdominal pain.

Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis

A systemic liver complication associated with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).

Paralytic Ileus

A nonmechanical intestinal obstruction where peristalsis stops usually after abdominal surgery.

Biliary Colic

Severe, steady RUQ pain occurring $3-6$ hours after a high-fat meal or when lying down, associated with cholelithiasis.

Cholecystitis

Inflammation of the gallbladder wall, usually resulting from obstruction by stones or biliary sludge.

Hematochezia

The presence of fresh red blood in the stool.

Diverticulosis

The presence of multiple non-inflamed pouches (diverticula) in the colon wall, most often in the sigmoid colon.