Disorders of the Gastrointestinal System, 2nd Edition
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● Analgesics to control pain and relax smooth muscles. ● Antibiotics to control infection. ● Parenteral nutrition for prolonged periods with no oral intake. ● Colon resection to remove affected segments of the colon. ● Blood transfusions for severe hemorrhage (Mizuki et al., 2018). ● Periodic follow-up colonoscopy when the colon is not inflamed. Because diverticular disease is relative- ly common, especially as people age, nurses should encourage their patients to consume enough dietary fiber. Patients should also be taught to recognize early signs and symptoms of diverticular dis- ease, even though it is often asymptom- atic (Ghoulam, 2019). Additional information regarding diver- ticular disease can be found on the fol- lowing websites: ● American College of Gastroenterology (https://gi.org/topics/diverticulosis- and-diverticulitis/) ● American Gastroenterological Association (https://www.gastro.org) ● International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders http://www.iffgd.org)
sist the body in reducing inflammation in the affected area of the colon (Piccioni et al., 2021). Frequent or prolonged antibi- otic use may put the patient at risk for C. difficile infection. The antibiotics are be- lieved to suppress normal colonic bacte- ria that usually keep C. difficile from mul- tiplying and causing colitis. | NURSING CONSIDERATION If patients take bulk-forming laxa- tives such as Metamucil, they should be taught to take them with plenty of water. These medications work by absorbing fluid to create a gel-like substance while moving through the GI tract, thus softening and increasing the size of the stool. If these agents are not taken with enough liquid, they can cause constipation. In addi- tion, they may affect the absorption of other medications, so they should be taken two hours before or after mealtimes and medications (Proctor & Gamble, 2022). If diverticulitis is severe, a variety of in- terventions may be necessary. Depending on the signs and symptoms present and the degree of disease severity, the follow- ing may be initiated (Ghoulam, 2019): ● A temporary colostomy to drain
abscesses and give the colon a rest; may also be performed if an obstruction, fistula, perforation, uncontrolled sepsis, or peritonitis complicates diverticulitis.
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