Disorders of the Gastrointestinal System, 2nd Edition
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● Avoid NSAIDs : Tylenol is suggested as an OTC pain reliever, as it does
not increase bleeding risk (Azer & Akhondi, 2022).
CASE STUDY 4 The stomach flu is prevalent in a small college town. Denise, a 20-year-old college sopho - more, develops abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea that last 24 hours. De- nise makes a speedy recovery and is back attending classes within 48 hours of the onset of symptoms. Denise’s one-year-old cousin, Jason, also develops similar signs and symptoms. After several hours of vomiting and diarrhea, Jason becomes dehydrated and is taken to the local hospital. He is admitted and given intravenous fluids. He recovers quickly and is able to go home the next day. Denise’s 85-year-old grandfather also develops gastrointestinal flu symptoms. After experi - encing severe vomiting and diarrhea for nearly 24 hours, he becomes severely dehydrated and exhibits confusion and decreasing levels of consciousness. He is rushed to the hospital and is admitted in critical condition. Question Which of the following is not likely responsible for the development of gastroenteritis? a. Bacteria like Salmonella, Escherichia Coli , and Clostridium . b. Viruses like rotavirus and norovirus. c. Fungal infections like candida. d. Parasites like Giardia and Cryptosporidium . Answer/Rationale: The correct answer is c. Bacteria like Salmonella, E. Coli, and Clostridium ; viruses like rotavirus and norovirus; and parasites like Giardia and Cryptosporidium contribute to gastroenteritis. Fungal infections do not contribute. Gastroenteritis
quire emergency medical intervention to restore fluid and electrolyte balance (Sat - tar & Singh, 2022). Gastroenteritis, which affects all age groups, is commonly referred to as “stom- ach flu” or “traveler’s diarrhea” and can be caused by viruses, bacteria, and para- sites (Sattar & Singh, 2022). Infections can be passed from person to person via food or drink and other methods. In the U.S., 178 million cases of acute gastroenteritis are reported annually, often in the very young (Geyer, 2020).
The examples In Case Study 4 demon- strate that even illnesses that are viewed as mild can have devastating conse- quences. Gastroenteritis is generally a self-limiting illness characterized by ir- ritation and inflammation of the stom - ach and intestines, which produces nau- sea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal cramping (Alexandraki & Smetana, 2021). The very young and the very old are es- pecially susceptible to complications of this disease, as are people who are in a debilitated state. These individuals can quickly become severely dehydrated and experience electrolyte imbalances due to vomiting and diarrhea. At-risk individuals must be carefully monitored and may re-
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