Which laboratory tests should be obtained in patients with acute abdominal pain? Although laboratory tests are helpful in confirming the evolution of a disease process, they are frequently not helpful in localizing the cause of abdominal pain. • Obtain a complete blood count. Elevation of the white blood cell count suggests inflammation; however, absence of leukocytosis may be …
What are the important components of the physical examination for patients with acute abdominal pain? • General status: Is the patient hemodynamically unstable? Does he or she need immediate hemodynamic resuscitation and emergent laparotomy (e.g., ruptured spleen, ruptured hepatic tumor, aneurysm, ectopic pregnancy, or mesenteric apoplexy)? • Inspection: Visually evaluate for distention, hernias, scars, and hyperperistalsis. • Auscultation: Hyperperistalsis suggests obstruction; …
How does the character of the abdominal pain help in the evaluation? Most pain tends to be midline because of bilateral innervations, with the exception of pain from the kidneys, ureters, abdominal wall, gallbladder, and the ascending or descending colon, which tend to lateralize Classification of Pain by the Rate of Development Explosive and excruciating …
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Categories of abdominal pain 1. Visceral pain occurs when noxious stimuli affect an abdominal viscus. The pain is usually dull (cramping, gnawing, or burning) and poorly localized to the ventral midline because the innervation to most viscera is multisegmental. Secondary autonomic effects such as diaphoresis, restlessness, nausea, vomiting, and pallor are common. 2. Parietal pain occurs when noxious stimuli …
What are the four types of stimuli for abdominal pain? Acute Abdomen is characterized by abrupt onset of severe pain caused by infarction, perforation, inflammation, obstruction, or organ rupture. Surgical intervention is usually required. 1. Stretching or tension—visceral nociception 2. Inflammation—mediated by kinins, histamine, prostaglandins, and so on 3. Ischemia—similar to inflammation 4. Neoplasm—nerve invasion
What counseling is appropriate for patients on prevention of acute diarrhea from domestic sources? Raw foods of animal origin are the most likely to be contaminated (e.g., raw meat and poultry, raw eggs, unpasteurized milk, and raw shellfish). Fruits and vegetables consumed raw are also of concern. Washing can decrease but not eliminate contamination. A …
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What is Brainerds diarrhea and how is it diagnosed and treated? Brainerd’s diarrhea is an idiopathic syndrome of chronic diarrhea that has been epidemiologically associated with point-source outbreaks. First described in 1986 after an outbreak associated with raw milk consumption, most cases in the literature have resulted as part of outbreaks. Clinically, patients report a …