Diseases of the

Digestive System

Principles of Health Science 2012
 Appendicitis

Acute inflammation of
the appendix usually
caused by an
obstruction and
infection
Symptoms:

 (1)Generalized abdominal pain
that later localizes at the lower right
 (2) Nausea and vomiting
 (3) Mild fever
 (4) Elevated white blood cell
count


 

If appendix ruptures, infectious

material spills out into peritoneal
cavity and causes peritonitis, a serious
condition
Treatment:

Appendectomy-
Removal of the appendix
 Cholecystitis

A. Inflammation of the
gallbladder
 B. Cholelithiasis: gallstones
form from crystallized
cholesterol, bile salts, and bile
pigments

Symptoms:

(1)frequently occur after eating fatty
foods
(2) Indigestion, nausea and vomiting
(3) Pain under the rib that radiates to the
right shoulder
(4) If gallstone blocks bile ducts,
gallbladder can rupture and cause
peritonitis
 Treatment:

 (1) Low fat diets

 (2) Lithotripsy: shock waves to

shatter gallstones

 (3) Cholecystectomy: surgical

removal of gallbladder


 Cirrhosis
Chronic 
destruction of
liver cells
accompanied by
the formation of
fibrous
connective and
scar tissue
Causes:

Malnutrition associated
with alcoholism
Hepatitis
Bile duct disease
Chemical toxins

Symptoms:

(1) Vary and become more severe as
disease progresses
 (2) enlargement of the liver
 (3) anemia and nosebleeds
(4) indigestion, nausea and vomiting
 (5) jaundice or yellow discoloration

(5) ascites or an accumulation of
fluid in the abdominal cavity

 
(6) When liver
function fails,
disorientation,
hallucinations, hepatic
coma, and death occur
Treatment:

(1)Directed toward preventing further
damage to the liver
 (2) Avoiding alcohol and preventing
infections
 (3) Proper nutrition and vitamin
supplements
 (4) Rest and appropriate exercise are
encouraged
 Constipation

 a. Condition that occurs
when fecal material
remains in the colon
too long, causing
excessive reabsorption
of water
 b. Feces or stool
becomes hard, dry, and
difficult to eliminate
Causes:

poor bowel habits
chronic use of laxatives, causing a
“lazy” bowel
diets low in fiber
certain digestive diseases
Treatment:

Usually corrected by a diet high in
fiber, adequate fluids, and exercise
 (1) At times, laxatives used to
stimulate defecation
 (2) Frequent use of laxatives may
be habit forming and lead to chronic
constipation
 Diarrhea

Condition
characterized by
frequent watery stools
Causes:

Infections
Stress
Diet
An irritated colon
Toxic substances
 
Extremely dangerous
in infants and small
children due to the
excessive loss of fluids
Treatment:

 (1) Eliminate the cause
 (2) Provide adequate
fluid intake
 (3) Modify the diet
 Diverticulitis

 (1) Inflammation of diverticula, pouches or
sacs that form in the intestine as the
mucosal lining pushes through the
surrounding muscle
(2) When fecal material and bacteria become
trapped in diverticula, inflammation occurs
 (3) Can cause an abscess or rupture leading
to peritonitis
 

Diverticulosis and diverticulitis

Diverticulosis occurs when small, bulging pouches
(diverticula) develop in your digestive tract. When one or more
of these pouches become inflamed or infected, the condition
is called diverticulitis.
 Symptoms:

(1) Vary depending on the amount of
inflammation
 (2) Abdominal pain
 (3) Irregular bowel movements and flatus (gas)
 (4) Constipation or diarrhea
 (5) Abdominal distention (swelling)
 (6) Low-grade fever
 (7) Nausea and vomiting
Treatment:

 (1) Antibiotics, stool
softening and pain
medications
 (2) Surgery to remove
the affected section of colon
Gastroenteritis

Inflammation of
mucous membrane
lining the stomach
and intestinal tract
 Causes:
food

poisoning
Infections
toxins
Symptoms:

abdominal
cramping
nausea
vomiting
fever
diarrhea
 Treatment:

 (1) Usually rest and
increased fluid intake
 (2) In severe cases,
antibiotics, intravenous
fluids, and medications to
slow peristalsis may be
used
 Hemorrhoids

Painful, dilated or
varicose veins of
rectum and/or anus

Causes:

 (1) Straining to defecate or
constipation
 (2) Pressure during pregnancy
 (3) Insufficient fluid intake
 (4) Abuse of laxatives
 (5) Prolonged sitting or standing
Symptoms:

Pain
Itching
Bleeding
Treatment:

 (1) High fiber diet and
increased fluid intake
 (2) Stool softeners
 (3) Sitz baths or warm moist
compresses
 (4) Hemorrhoidectomy in
severe cases
 Hepatitis

Viral
inflammation of
the liver
 Type A (HAV) or
infectious
 hepatitis
(a) Highly contagious
(b) Transmitted in food or water
that has been contaminated by the
feces of an infected person
(c) Vaccine is available to prevent
hepatitis A
Type B (HBV) or serum
hepatitis

(a) Transmitted by blood and serum
(b) More serious than type A and can
lead to chronic hepatitis or cirrhosis of
the liver
(c) Hepatitis B vaccine recommended
for all health workers
 Other strains of hepatitis
include Types C, D, and E

 Symptoms:
Fever

Anorexia
Nausea
Vomiting
Fatigue
Dark colored urine
Clay-colored stool
Enlarged liver
Jaundice
Treatment:

(1) Rest
(2) Diet high in protein and
calories and low in fat
(3) Liver transplant may be
necessary if liver is severely
damaged
Hernia or rupture

Occurs when an internal
organ pushes through a
weakened area or natural
opening in a body wall
 Hiatal Hernia:

Stomach
protrudes
through the
diaphragm into
the chest cavity
through the
opening for the
esophagus
Symptoms:

heartburn
distention of the stomach
chest pain
difficulty in swallowing
Treatment:

bland diet
small, frequent meals
not lying down after eating
surgical repair
 Inguinal hernia:
 Section of the

small intestine
protrudes
through the
inguinal rings of
the lower
abdominal wall
Treatment:

If the hernia cannot be
reduced, or pushed back in
place, a herniorrhapy, or
surgical repair, is done
 Pancreatitis

Inflammation of
the pancreas in
which pancreatic
enzymes begin to
digest the
pancreas
Pancreas becomes necrotic,
inflamed, and edematous

 
If damage extends to blood
vessels in the pancreas,
hemorrhage and shock
occur
Causes:

 (1) Excessive alcohol
consumption
 (2) Blockage of pancreatic ducts
by gall stones
 (3) Many cases are idiopathic, or
of unknown cause
Symptoms:

Severe abdominal pain that radiates
to the back
Nausea
Vomiting
diaphoresis (excessive perspiration)
Jaundice if swelling blocks the
common bile duct
Treatment:

Treatment depends on the cause
 (1) Cholecystectomy if gallstones are the
cause
 (2) Analgesics for pain
 (3) Nutritional support if the cause is
alcoholism or idiopathic
 (4) Pancreatitis caused by alcoholism has a
poor prognosis and often results in death
 Peritonitis

Inflammation of the abdominal
peritoneal cavity
(1) Usually occurs when a rupture in
the intestine allows fecal contents to
enter this cavity
 (2) Ruptured appendix or gallbladder
are causes

Symptoms:

Abdominal pain and
distention
Fever
Nausea
Vomiting
Treatment:

antibiotics and
surgical repair
 Ulcer

 Open sore on the lining of
the digestive tract
 Peptic ulcers include
gastric (stomach) ulcers and
duodenal ulcers

Causes:

Major cause is Heliobacter pylori
(H. pylori)
 (1) Bacterium that burrows into
stomach membranes
 (2) Allows stomach acids and
digestive juices to create an ulcer
 Symptoms:

burning pain
indigestion
hematemesis (bloody
vomitus)
melena (dark, tarry stool)
 Treatment:


(1) Antacids and bland diet
 (2) Decreasing stress
 (3) Avoiding irritants such as alcohol, fried food,
tobacco, and caffeine
 (4) If H. pylori bacteria present, treatment with
antibiotics and a bismuth preparation, such as
Pepto-Bismol, usually cures condition
 (5) In severe cases, surgery to remove the
affected area
 (6) Antibiotics to kill bacteria that can cause
ulcers
 Ulcerative Colitis

 Severe inflammation of the colon
with the formation of ulcers and
abscesses
 Thought to be caused by stress,
allergic reactions to food, or an
autoimmune reaction

Symptoms:

 (1) Main one is diarrhea with
blood, pus, and mucus
 (2) Others are weight loss,
weakness, abdominal pain,
anemia, and anorexia
 (3) Periods of remission and
exacerbation are common
Treatment:

 (1) Directed toward controlling
inflammation
 (2) Reduce stress with mild
sedation
 (3) Maintain proper nutrition
 (4) Avoid substances that
aggravate the condition
 (5) In some cases,

surgical removal of
affected colon
 aa. Creation of a
colostomy
 bb. Artificial
opening in colon to
allow fecal
material to be
excreted
through abdominal
wall

