Health

What symptoms are helpful in evaluating for appendicitis?  It is decidedly uncommon for acute appendicitis to present with nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea before abdominal pain. Usually acute appendicitis is heralded by pain and often followed by anorexia, nausea, and sometimes single-episode vomiting. Acute appendicitis should be first on the differential diagnosis list in any patient …

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Atypical forms of appendicitis When the appendix is retrocecal or retroileal in location, the inflamed appendix is often shielded from the anterior abdomen. The pain is often less pronounced, and localizing signs on physical examination are uncommon. Symptoms and signs of appendicitis in older patients are subtle. Pain is often minimal, fever is only mild, …

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What is the most common cause of acute abdominal pain in older adult patients?  Biliary tract disease is responsible for 25% of all cases of acute abdominal pain in older adult patients requiring hospitalization . Bowel obstruction and incarcerated hernia are the next most common, followed by appendicitis.

Common causes of acute abdominal pain in gravid women Appendicitis Ovarian cysts complicated by torsion, rupture, and hemorrhage Ectopic pregnancy Gallbladder problems (acalculous cholecystitis, cholecystitis, or choledocholithiasis)

What are some common causes of nonserious abdominal pain? Mesenteric adenitis Irritable bowel syndrome Viral and bacterial enteritis Pre-eruptive shingles Abdominal migraine Costochondritis Gastroesophageal reflux disease

What are the common extraabdominal causes of referred abdominal pain? Pain referred to the abdomen can be confusing. Thoracic: pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, pneumothorax, myocardial infarction or ischemia, esophageal spasm, or perforation Neurogenic: radicular pain (spinal cord compression from tumor, abscess, compression, or varicella zoster infection), tabes dorsalis Metabolic: uremia, porphyria, acute adrenal insufficiency Hematologic: sickle cell anemia, hemolytic anemia, …

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Which radiologic tests should be ordered to evaluate the patient with acute abdominal pain?  The selection of tests depends on the likelihood of the pretest clinical diagnosis and the ability of the radiologic test to confirm clinical suspicion. • Plain radiographs of the abdomen are quick and readily available, and can be done at the bedside. They …

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