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Gastrointestinal System
Gastrointestinal System
GI conditions, evidence, coding, tests, medications, and nursing diagnoses.
Major gi conditions
UGIB
Upper GI bleed (proximal to ligament of Treitz): hematemesis, melena, coffee-ground emesis. Most common: peptic ulcer (35-50%). Glasgow-Blatchford score guides need for urgent intervention.
LGIB
Lower GI bleed (distal to ligament of Treitz): hematochezia. Most common causes: diverticulosis, hemorrhoids, AVMs, colorectal cancer. Most self-limited. Colonoscopy for diagnosis/treatment.
PUD
PUD: ulceration of gastric or duodenal mucosa from H. pylori (most common), NSAIDs, or stress (ICU). H. pylori eradication with triple therapy is curative. PPIs provide symptom relief.
GERD
GERD is chronic acid reflux causing heartburn, regurgitation, and potentially esophageal damage (erosive esophagitis, Barrett esophagus). PPIs are most effective treatment.
Crohn's
Crohn's disease is transmural granulomatous inflammation of any GI segment (skip lesions). Terminal ileum most common. Complications: fistulas, strictures, abscesses. Biologics have transformed management.
UC
UC is mucosal inflammation confined to the colon, starting at rectum and extending proximally. Continuous distribution. Bloody diarrhea is hallmark. Severe UC (Truelove/Witts criteria) requires hospitalization.
Pancreatitis
Acute pancreatitis: epigastric pain radiating to back, nausea, elevated lipase (>3× ULN). Most common causes: gallstones (40%) and alcohol (30%). Ranson or BISAP score predicts severity.
Cirrhosis
Cirrhosis is end-stage fibrosis from chronic liver injury (alcohol, NAFLD/NASH, viral hepatitis). Complications: varices, ascites, hepatic encephalopathy, hepatorenal syndrome, hepatocellular carcinoma.
HE
Hepatic encephalopathy is neuropsychiatric dysfunction from liver failure — ammonia accumulation. Grades I-IV (covert → coma). Precipitants: GI bleed, infection, constipation, medications, AKI.
Ascites
Ascites is fluid accumulation in the peritoneal cavity. Most common cause: cirrhosis (75%). SAAG ≥1.1 g/dL = portal hypertension. SBP (spontaneous bacterial peritonitis) is a life-threatening complication.
SBO/LBO
Bowel obstruction: mechanical blockage of small (SBO — adhesions #1) or large bowel (LBO — cancer #1). Classic: colicky pain, vomiting, distension, obstipation. Strangulation is surgical emergency.
C. diff
C. difficile infection (CDI): watery diarrhea (≥3 loose stools/24h), toxin-mediated colitis after antibiotic exposure. Contact precautions required. Vancomycin oral and fidaxomicin are current first-line treatments.
Related nursing diagnoses
Nursing Diagnoses & Care Plans
Open the NANDA tool to review nursing diagnoses and care-plan concepts related to gi conditions.