Gastroenterology & Hepatology — Flashcards

Flashcard 441: Which drugs commonly cause constipation? _____, Iron supplements, Anti-cholinergics

Answer: Opioids

Flashcard 442: True or False: The long-term use of stimulant laxatives for chronic constipation is contraindicated because it _____

Answer: leads to permanent loss of bowel function (cathartic colon)

Extra: Management of constipation follows a stepped approach: 1. Lifestyle: Fiber, fluid, exercise. 2. Bulk-forming laxatives (Psyllium). 3. Osmotic laxatives (PEG, Lactulose). 4. Stimulant laxatives (Senna, Bisacodyl) if needed. The myth of permanent bowel damage (melanosis coli is benign) should not prevent proper treatment.

Flashcard 443: Nausea and vomiting in palliative patients mediated by _____ may be caused by opioids or disregulation of serotonin & dopamine receptors in the bowel

Answer: reduced gastric motility

Flashcard 444: If the cause of nausea & vomiting is unknown, a _____ is usually first line

Answer: dopamine antagonist

Flashcard 445: If nausea & vomiting is chemically mediated then the management should involve _____

Answer: correction of the chemical disturbance

Flashcard 446: If nausea & vomiting is caused by reduced gastric motility then _____ should be used

Answer: pro-kinetics

Flashcard 447: Nausea and vomiting in palliative patients mediated by _____ may be caused by opioids, hypercalcaemia or chemotherapy

Answer: chemical disturbance

Flashcard 448: Nausea and vomiting in palliative patients mediated by _____ may be caused by constipation or oral candidiasis

Answer: visceral/serosal mechanisms

Flashcard 449: If nausea & vomiting has a visceral/serosal cause then the first line management is _____ and levomepromazine

Answer: cyclizine

Flashcard 450: Autoimmune hepatitis can present with _____ in ~40% of patients and ~30% have cirrhosis at the time of presentation

Answer: jaundice