(2026/2027) | Complete Revision Guide |
A+ Verified
• Gastrointestinal Bleeding (Cause/Symptoms/Diagnosis/Treatment) -✓✓ Causes:
Mallory-Weiss tear, cancer, NSAID use, history of GERD.
Symptoms: Abdominal discomfort, red bloody stools, asymptomatic.
Diagnosis: CBC, endoscope to confirm.
Treatment: Cause-based. Fluid replacement. Locating source.
• Cirrhosis (Cause/Symptoms/Diagnosis/Treatment) -✓✓ Causes: Scar tissue
replaces healthy liver tissue. Lipids stored in body cells instead.
Symptoms: Abdominal pain, drowsiness, weight loss. History of Hep C.
Diagnosis:
Treatment: Antivirals (with Hep C), diuretics, beta-blockers (if cardiac affect), Zinc
supplement, liver transplant.
• Foreign Bodies (Cause/Symptoms/Diagnosis/Treatment) -✓✓ Causes: Accidents.
2cm or bigger can cause blockage. Children, patients with dentures, and psych
patients at risk.
Symptoms: Depends on location.
Diagnosis: Ultrasound (faster if d/t sharp object), or X-ray.
Treatment: Pro-motility medications if safe to pass, or laparoscopic surgery if
large/sharp/dangerous.
• GI Obstruction (Cause/Symptoms/Diagnosis/Treatment) -✓✓ Causes: Body
tissues causing blockage.
, Symptoms: Pain, constipation, N/V/D.
Diagnosis: Endoscopy, X-ray.
Treatment: Antibiotics, colectomy, bowel rest, surgery if hemorrhage.
• Gastroenteritis (Cause/Symptoms/Diagnosis/Treatment) -✓✓ Causes:
Norovirus, bacteria, foreign bodies
Symptoms: N/V/D, tachycardia, weight loss.
Diagnosis: Symptomatic
Treatment: Fluid replacement, antibiotics, antidiarrheals (for fluid loss)
• Crohn's Disease (Cause/Symptoms/Diagnosis/Treatment) -✓✓ Causes: IBD in
small intestine, varies severity.
Symptoms: Abdominal pain, cramping, diarrhea, bloody stool, low appetite,
weight loss.
Diagnosis: CBC (rule out infection, check anemia), fecal blood test, colonoscopy
(check damage, find granulomas, inflammatory cells that trigger symptoms)
Treatment: anti-inflammatories, corticosteroids, oral 5-aminosalicylates. No cure.
• Ulcerative Colitis (Cause/Symptoms/Diagnosis/Treatment) -✓✓ Causes:
Inflammation, ulcers, sores in GI tract, large intestine, rectum.
Symptoms: Diarrhea, with blood or pus, abdominal pain, rectal bleeding, urgency
to defacate
Diagnosis: proctosigmoiditis causes inflamed rectum and sigmoid colon with
bloody diarrhea, left-sided colitis from sigmoid and descending colon, and
pancolitis in entire colon. Colonoscopy to confirm.
Treatment: antibiotics, corticosteroids (reduce recurring flare-ups). No cure.