Metabolic Gastrointestinal and Liver Alteration Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards based on the lecture notes 'Responses to Metabolic Gastrointestinal and Liver Alteration', covering GI anatomy, bleeding, hypertension, and liver failure.

Salivary amylase

A starch-digesting enzyme produced by the salivary glands.

Bolus

Chewed food mixed with saliva that is swallowed through the pharynx.

Chyme

A substance created in the stomach by mixing and churning food with gastric juice containing acid and pepsin.

Portal vein

A blood vessel that carries nutrient-rich blood from the digestive organs to the liver, providing about $75\%$ of the liver's blood supply.

Hepatic artery

A blood vessel that supplies the liver with oxygen-rich blood from the heart through the abdominal aorta, providing about $25\%$ of the liver's blood supply.

Overt bleeding

Gastrointestinal bleeding that is visible, such as vomiting blood (red or coffee-ground appearance), black tarry stool, or rectal bleeding.

Occult bleeding

Hidden gastrointestinal bleeding that may cause symptoms like lightheadedness, difficulty breathing, fainting, chest pain, or abdominal pain.

Peptic ulcer

The most common cause of upper GI bleeding, characterized by open sores that develop on the inside lining of the stomach and the upper part of the small intestine.

Mallory-Weiss tears

Longitudinal lacerations in the lining of the lower esophagus or upper stomach, usually caused by forceful vomiting or retching.

Esophageal varices

Abnormally dilated, tortuous submucosal veins in the lower esophagus that develop due to portal hypertension, most commonly from liver cirrhosis.

Portal hypertensive gastropathy

A non-inflammatory injury of the gastric mucosa resulting from increased portal vein pressure that causes changes in the stomach lining.

Esophagitis

Inflammation of the esophagus most often caused by gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

Hiatal hernia

A condition where part of the stomach pushes upward through the diaphragm into the chest cavity.

Diverticulosis

The development of small, bulging pouches in the digestive tract.

Diverticulitis

A condition that occurs if one or more bulging pouches (diverticula) in the digestive tract become inflamed or infected.

Ulcerative colitis

A type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes continuous and uniform inflammation and sores in the colon and rectum.

Crohn's disease

An inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) involving patchy, full-thickness inflammation that can occur throughout the small and large bowel.

Proctitis

Inflammation of the lining of the rectum.

Colon polyps

Small clumps of cells or abnormal growths on the inner lining of the colon that are usually harmless but can become cancerous.

Hemorrhoids

Swollen veins in the anus or lower rectum, similar to varicose veins, that can cause pain and bleeding.

Anal fissures

Small tears in the lining of the anus that typically cause pain and bleeding during or after bowel movements.

Nasogastric lavage

A procedure where a tube is passed through the nose into the stomach to remove contents and help find the source of bleeding.

Intra-abdominal hypertension (IAH)

A sustained increase in pressure within the abdominal cavity that exceeds $12\,mmHg$.

Intra-abdominal compartment syndrome

A life-threatening condition that develops when pressure within the abdominal cavity reaches $20\,mmHg$.

Laparotomy

A surgical procedure involving an incision in the abdominal wall to relieve intra-abdominal pressure.

Acute Liver Failure

The sudden loss of liver function, usually occurring within days to weeks, often in individuals without pre-existing liver disease.

Chronic Liver Failure

The gradual development of liver dysfunction over months or years due to progressive damage, usually associated with cirrhosis.

Jaundice

The yellowing of the skin and eyeballs, a common sign of liver failure.

Ascites

A swollen belly caused by the accumulation of fluid, often seen in liver failure patients.

Cerebral edema

Excess fluid in the brain that causes pressure buildup, leading to disorientation, confusion, and seizures; a common complication of acute liver failure.

Budd-Chiari syndrome

A vascular disease causing blockages in the veins of the liver, which can lead to acute liver failure.

Wilson's disease

A rare hereditary metabolic disease involving the deposition of copper in the liver and basal ganglia.

Hemochromatosis

A genetic disease that causes excessive iron buildup in the liver.

Biliary atresia

A disease affecting the bile ducts that is the most common reason for liver transplant among children.

Fulminant hepatic failure

A rapid and severe loss of liver function that develops within $8$ weeks after the first symptoms of jaundice in a person without pre-existing chronic liver disease.

Xenotransplantation

A type of transplant where a human organ is replaced with one from an animal or other nonhuman source.