Premium Essay

Crohn's Disease: A Case Study

Submitted By
Words 1241
Pages 5
Treatment for Crohn’s disease consists of medications to deal with the inflammation such as sulfasalazine, mesalamine, and olsalazine. Other medications used include steroids, and sometimes even immunosuppressive medications such as infliximab or azathioprine. According to a professor at the University of Toronto, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is different from irritable bowel disease in that there is no inflammation. Food has a lot to factor in in regards to diarrhea in IBS patients. Greasy, fatty, or fried foods help contribute to the diarrhea experienced by these patients. Diarrhea can also be caused by certain bacterial infections. Infections that can be acquired through contaminated foods or drinks consist of, E. coli, campylobacter, …show more content…
An indirect effect on how medication causes diarrhea, is Clostridium difficile. C. difficile is a bacterium that can cause severe diarrhea and can possibly lead to inflammation of the colon. The most common reason for the occurrence of C. diff in adults is antibiotics. C. difficile usually develops during or shortly after antibiotic treatment. The most common symptoms of this disease in its mild form are watery diarrhea for three or more times a day for two or more days, in addition to mild cramping and tenderness. More severe forms of C. difficile can also occur. In these cases, the colon can become inflamed, and form patches of raw tissue that can bleed. The symptoms of this severe form of C. difficile, include, watery diarrhea ten to fifteen times per day, abdominal cramping, fever, bloody stools, nausea, dehydration, loss of appetite, and weight loss. Diarrhea is a fairly common illness and effects many people after a course of antibiotics. It is wise to seek medical treatment if symptoms last for more than three days, or the onset of fever, severe pain, bloody stools, or more than three bowel movements in a day. The onset of C. difficile after antibiotic use is due to the normal gut flora being destroyed or hampered. This lack of healthy and normal bacteria in the gut can allow for the growth of C. difficile. Our patient has currently been on a ten day treatment with Augmentin. This prior antibiotic use could have …show more content…
With diarrhea the volume of fluid lost must be large enough to surpass the kidney’s compensation and ability to adjust excretion. With sufficient volume loss, the disorder is dependent upon the specific electrolytes lost. There is usually a wide range of electrolytes and their concentrations that are lost in diarrhea. However, the main electrolytes lost tend to be Na+, K+, and HCO3-. The diarrhea that is associated with inflammatory diarrhea is typically characteristic of stool volume < 3 L/day, and alkali and salt losses that are generally manageable. In the case of larger volume loss, there will be a significant loss of extracellular fluid volume, thus reducing the GFR, and limiting the kidney’s ability to auto regulate. This form of diarrhea is typical of secretory diarrhea, and usually presents with hypotension, acute renal failure, hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis, and hypokalemia. If the diarrhea is severe enough, lactic acidosis may occur due to tissue hypoperfusion. Our patient has been suffering a C. difficile infection. A lot of her current abnormalities can possibly be traced to an electrolyte imbalance that was caused by her excessive diarrhea.7 Acidosis can be divided up into metabolic and respiratory. Factors that cause an increase in the CO2 levels and also increasing the concentration of carbonic acid cause respiratory acidosis. The factors that cause metabolic acidosis

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Crohn's Disease: A Case Study

...Part A Crohn's disease Crohn’s disease a chronic inflammatory disease of the intestines, especially the colon and ileum, associated with ulcers and fistulae. Chromosomes affected When you eat food, your body gets the nutrients like protein, which keeps your body healthy. When your gastrointestinal tract processes the food it keeps the nutrients and gets rid of any waste. The gastrointestinal tract is the series of organs from the mouth to the anus. When you have Crohn's disease, your body's immune system begins attacking healthy cells in your gastrointestinal tract causing inflammation. Crohn’s is a disease in the immune system causing your body to produce antibodies that work against it’s self. (Crohn’s disease. Andy Abril, Copyright March 2013. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/crohns-disease/basics/symptoms/con-20032061) Unfortunately, no one knows exactly what causes Crohn's, just that something in your body causes your immune system to overreact. It cause inflammation, irritation, or swelling in the gastrointestinal tract. The disease mainly affects the same intestine. Causes of the Disorder...

Words: 781 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Crohn's Disease: A Case Study

...infection if it shows back up in the body. A person’s immune system cells, normally, recognize and do not attack their own tissues and chemicals. The lack of reaction is called self-tolerance. When the body attacks normal and healthy tissue it is called an autoimmune disease. Crohn’s disease is when a body’s immune system begins to attack healthy cells in the GI tracts, this causes inflammation. It most commonly affects the small intestine and the beginning of the large intestine. The disease...

Words: 1016 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Crohn's Disease Case Study

...As inflammation spreads, the lumen of the intestine narrows, an obstruction can develop, and abscess frequently form. 11. This question has two parts. a. Who does Crohn’s disease usually affect? Crohn’s disease usually affects white adults age 20 to 40, and two to three times more common among Ashkenazi jews. b. Describe the treatment for Crohn’s disease. The treatment for Crohn’s disease is with anti-inflammatory medications and with immunosuppressive agents. Surgery is performed to correct complications such as obstruction, perforation, or massive hemorrhage. Ileostomy is necessary if the large intestine has been severely damaged. 12. What are the symptoms of chronic ulcerative colitis? Typical symptoms include diarrhea with pus, blood, and mucus in the stools and cramp-like pain in the lower abdomen. 13. What are the possible causes of hemorrhoids? The possible causes of hemorrhoids include heredity, poor dietary habits, inadequate fiber, overuse of laxatives, and lack of exercise. 14. What are the risk...

Words: 1627 - Pages: 7

Free Essay

Crohn's Disease

...Crohn’s Disease Crohn's disease is named after the physician who described the disease in a paper written in 1972. It is also called Morbus Crohn's, Granulomatous enteritis, Regional enteritis, or Terminal ileitis. The disease is usually chronic, with recurrent periods, and also periods of remission. The spread of Crohn s disease into the world is getting worse, and there is still no cure or prevention known to the disease. Crohn's disease is an inflammatory bowel disease ,IBD, the general name for diseases that cause inflammation in the intestines. Crohn's disease can be difficult to diagnose because its symptoms are similar to other intestinal disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome and to another type of IBD called ulcerative colitis. Crohn's disease may also be called ileitis or enteritis. Ulcerative colitis causes inflammation and ulcers in the top layer of the lining of the large intestine. Crohn's disease affects men and women equally and seems to run in some families. About 20 percent of people with Crohn's disease have a blood relative with some form of IBD, most often a brother or sister and sometimes a parent or child. The most common complication is blockage of the intestine. Blockage occurs because the disease tends to thicken the intestinal wall with swelling and scar tissue, narrowing the passage. Crohn's disease may also cause sores, or ulcers, that tunnel through the affected area into surrounding tissues such as the bladder, vagina, or skin. The areas...

Words: 1668 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Crohn's Disease

...<Crohn’s Disease affects roughly 500,000 to two million people in the United States ("Medicinenet.com", 1996-2012). Men and women both are affected likewise. Americans of Jewish European descent are four to five times more likely to get Crohn’s Disease than the general population. Crohn’s Disease traditionally has been a disease of Caucasians, but recently there has been a rise in registered cases the African American community. The dominance seems to have dropped in the Hispanic and Asian populations and communities. Crohn’s Disease mostly starts during adolescence and continues through early adulthood (typically between the ages of 15 and 35). There is a slight second peak of newly diagnosed cases after age 50. <The occurrence rates among Hispanics and Asians are at a decreased level than those for Caucasians and African Americans. A study in Puerto Rico examined hospitalization rates for African Americans. The commonness for African Americans was verified as 41.4 per 100,000 for Crohn's Disease ("Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America", 2009). An 11-year study of incidence rates of pediatric Crohn’s Disease in one state study pointed out rates doubled for Crohn’s from 1991 to 2002 ("Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America", 2009). In this study Caucasians had a greater occurrence of Crohn’s Disease (4.15 per 100,000); African Americans (1.83 per 100,000) and Hispanic populations (0.61 per 100,000) ("Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America", 2009). Continuing...

Words: 1416 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

Crohn's Disease

...Crohn’s Disease is a condition suffered by many young men and women all around the world. Though more prevalent in Northern US and Canada, the disease has found its way to the farthest reaches across the globe. It is found more commonly in females and presents ages 20-30 years, though not strictly. The disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease and can affect any part in the gastrointestinal tract. Once known as auto immune, it is now classified as immune deficiency. No cure has been found, but researchers work diligently to reduce the effects throughout a Crohn’s patient’s life. Crohn’s Disease was given its name in 1932 by gastroenterologist Dr. Burrill B. Crohn, whom it was respectively named after. Previous to this, many cases appeared and recorded as early as 1682 which was when the first description of the condition was made by the Italian physician Giovanni Battista Morgagni. It was described as “…a young man with a chronic, debilitating illness and diarrhea” (Bellany, 2005). Since then, more and more cases have arrived and continues to effect thousands of people worldwide. This condition falls under a medical category known as Inflammatory Bowel Diseases or IBD. The two main forms of IBD are Crohn’s Disease and ulcerative colitis. While very similar and often confused with one another, they have many different, as well as common symptoms. Less common forms are known as collagenous colitis, lymphocytic colitis and Behcet’s disease. Crohn’s Disease...

Words: 753 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Chrohn, S Disease

...Crohn's disease is named after the physician who described the disease in a paper written in 1972. It is also called Morbus Crohn's, Granulomatous enteritis, Regional enteritis, or Terminal ileitis. The disease is usually chronic, with recurrent periods, and also periods of remission. The spread of Crohn s disease into the world is getting worse, and there is still no cure or prevention known to the disease. Crohn's disease is an inflammatory bowel disease ,IBD, the general name for diseases that cause inflammation in the intestines. Crohn's disease can be difficult to diagnose because its symptoms are similar to other intestinal disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome and to another type of IBD called ulcerative colitis. Crohn's disease may also be called ileitis or enteritis. Ulcerative colitis causes inflammation and ulcers in the top layer of the lining of the large intestine. Crohn's disease affects men and women equally and seems to run in some families. About 20 percent of people with Crohn's disease have a blood relative with some form of IBD, most often a brother or sister and sometimes a parent or child. The most common complication is blockage of the intestine. Blockage occurs because the disease tends to thicken the intestinal wall with swelling and scar tissue, narrowing the passage. Crohn's disease may also cause sores, or ulcers, that tunnel through the affected area into surrounding tissues such as the bladder, vagina, or skin. The areas around the...

Words: 1544 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Crohn's Disease Research Paper

...Crohn’s disease, also known as regional enteritis, is one of several types of inflammatory bowel disease that can have a devastating effect on the gastrointestinal tract of those who suffer from it. Unlike many other types of IBD, Crohn’s can and does affect any part of the GI tract from mouth to anus. The symptoms and side effects of this disease can be debilitating, with 1 in 5 people with Crohn’s admitted to hospitals yearly. There is no cure for this disease, and there is no surefire way to induce the disease into a period of remission. With over 1.4 million Amerians suffering from this and other chronic inflammatory bowel diseases, it is important that we understand how this disease runs the lives of those it is a part of. The earliest...

Words: 2777 - Pages: 12

Premium Essay

Crohn's

...O<Crohn’s Disease affects roughly 500,000 to two million people in the United States ("Medicinenet.com", 1996-2012). Men and women both are affected likewise. Americans of Jewish European descent are four to five times more likely to get Crohn’s Disease than the general population. Crohn’s Disease traditionally has been a disease of Caucasians, but recently there has been a rise in registered cases the African American community. The dominance seems to have dropped in the Hispanic and Asian populations and communities. Crohn’s Disease mostly starts during adolescence and continues through early adulthood (typically between the ages of 15 and 35). There is a slight second peak of newly diagnosed cases after age 50. <The occurrence rates among Hispanics and Asians are at a decreased level than those for Caucasians and African Americans. A study in Puerto Rico examined hospitalization rates for African Americans. The commonness for African Americans was verified as 41.4 per 100,000 for Crohn's Disease ("Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America", 2009). An 11-year study of incidence rates of pediatric Crohn’s Disease in one state study pointed out rates doubled for Crohn’s from 1991 to 2002 ("Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America", 2009). In this study Caucasians had a greater occurrence of Crohn’s Disease (4.15 per 100,000); African Americans (1.83 per 100,000) and Hispanic populations (0.61 per 100,000) ("Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America", 2009). Continuing...

Words: 1416 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Crohn's

...<Crohn’s Disease affects roughly 500,000 to two million people in the United States ("Medicinenet.com", 1996-2012). Men and women both are affected likewise. Americans of Jewish European descent are four to five times more likely to get Crohn’s Disease than the general population. Crohn’s Disease traditionally has been a disease of Caucasians, but recently there has been a rise in registered cases the African American community. The dominance seems to have dropped in the Hispanic and Asian populations and communities. Crohn’s Disease mostly starts during adolescence and continues through early adulthood (typically between the ages of 15 and 35). There is a slight second peak of newly diagnosed cases after age 50. <The occurrence rates among Hispanics and Asians are at a decreased level than those for Caucasians and African Americans. A study in Puerto Rico examined hospitalization rates for African Americans. The commonness for African Americans was verified as 41.4 per 100,000 for Crohn's Disease ("Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America", 2009). An 11-year study of incidence rates of pediatric Crohn’s Disease in one state study pointed out rates doubled for Crohn’s from 1991 to 2002 ("Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America", 2009). In this study Caucasians had a greater occurrence of Crohn’s Disease (4.15 per 100,000); African Americans (1.83 per 100,000) and Hispanic populations (0.61 per 100,000) ("Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America", 2009). Continuing...

Words: 1416 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Crohn's Disease Research Paper

...Crohn’s Disease There is a lot of speculation when it comes to the diagnosis of diseases. Diseases are something that can be catastrophic and bring an abrupt holt to one’s life. Although there are many different types of diseases, one that is fairly common is Crohn’s disease. Crohn’s disease is a chronic inflammatory disease of the intestine, especially the colon and ileum. Common symptoms include abdominal pain, diarrhea, fever, and unintended weight loss. These symptoms may range from mild to severe and may develop gradually or come without any warning. Crohn’s disease has a crucial impact on patients’ education, work, social and family life. The first mention of CD appeared in the literature in 1932 in a publication by Burrill Crohn reporting...

Words: 1389 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

Crohns Disease

...Flannery Imaging Sequences of Crohn’s Disease Crohn’s disease, a form of Irritable Bowl Syndrome, is an ongoing symptomatic disease that has affected as many as 1.4 million people in the United States.7 Although it may occur at any age, the most common onset for IBS is between 15 to 30 years old.7 IBS can be broken down into two categories such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.7 Crohn’s disease is one of the most difficult diseases to diagnose and uses a lot of distinctive tests such as X-ray, CT, MRI, Ultrasonography, and Nuclear Imaging. We will be investigating the optimum imaging sequences to analyze the cause, diagnosis, and treatments of Crohn’s disease. Crohn’s disease can incorporate any location of the gastrointestinal tract, but it usually affects the area in-between the small and large bowels.7 Although the cause of Crohn’s disease is widely unknown, there are numerous implicating factors. Genetics is proposed as it “is found among first-degree relatives, suggesting a strong genetic component” .7 Other factors that play a part in contributing to the disease can be environmental, for example, smoking and your diet.7 Infectious and Immunologic factors are also considered, such as preexisting infections as a child or the infectious bacterium, Mycobacterium avium paratuberculosis (MAP).3 The optimum imaging sequences to diagnose Crohn’s disease are plain radiography with barium studies, Computed Tomography, Magnetic Resonance Imaging...

Words: 1201 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Wajid0019

...HAEMATOLOGY Answers to case study questions Chapter 5 Case Study 5.1 We find a 50-year-old woman with long-term Crohn’s disease, on various treatments and with an abdominal surgical history. Her blood tests were requested following a routine GP visit, when she complained of some lethargy, fever and diarrhoea. (p. 125) 1 The results outside the reference range are haemoglobin, MCV and ESR. This result, along with the history, is sufficient to confer the diagnosis of anaemia. With the MCV below the bottom of the reference range, we can extend the diagnosis to microcytic anaemia. The abnormal ESR adds little to the diagnosis as it is the likely consequence of the anaemia. 2 Having given the patient a diagnosis, a treatment must be initiated. However, this is not yet possible as the basis of the microcytic anaemia must be defined. As the two major causes of microcytic anaemia are iron deficiency and haemoglobinopathy, the blood is tested for iron. A level below the bottom of reference range extends the diagnosis to iron-deficient microcytic anaemia. The reason for the vitamin B12 request is unclear, but as the result is within the reference range, then malnutrition as a cause seems unlikely. The diagnosis is not entirely unexpected given the history— Crohn’s disease being an inflammatory disorder of the intestines known to lead to malabsorption. Indeed, the inflammation may well contribute to the abnormal ESR. The referral to surgery may well have been to remove a section of diseased...

Words: 1321 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Autoimmune Diseases

...is to protect the body against diseases and other invaders that the body recognizes as foreign. Because of the immune system, our bodies are able to fight off illnesses such as the common cold. What would happen if the immune system started to attack healthy cells within your body for no known reason? Unfortunately, that is what happens to individuals who suffer from an autoimmune disease. Autoimmune disease describes a group of diseases that can affect the human organ systems. These diseases all have the same underlying problem. Which is the body’s immune system becomes defective and attacks the organs in which it was supposed to protect (Autoimmune Disease in Women, 2013). The cause is still unknown as to why the immune system can no longer tell the difference between healthy body tissues and antigens, but it is believed some microorganism, different drugs, and certain genes may increase the risk of developing an autoimmune disease (Dugdale, 2011). Having an autoimmune disease can be difficult for a person, especially in the early stages, because many do not know what to expect or have the basic knowledge on the disease. For many, these diseases can cause major complications and illnesses, especially when going untreated for long periods of time. Fortunately, with the advances in medicine and research, people, with autoimmune diseases, can live long, normal lives with proper support and treatment. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Multiple...

Words: 1984 - Pages: 8

Free Essay

Crohns Disease

...Anatomy and Physiology of Crohn’s Disease Crohn’s disease (CD) is a chronic, relapsing inflammatory disease of the intestines with usually peak between 15 and 35. It is one of many Inflammatory bowl disease (IBD), and is sometimes also called Regional enteritis, Morbus Crohn’s, Terminal iletis, or Granulomatous enteritis. It primarily affects the small and large intestine, but can affect the digestive system anywhere between the mouth and the anus. It is named after the physician who examined the disease in a landmark paper written in 1932. Crohn's disease lasts for many years throughout life, and many patients require surgery at some point and even then they can have recurring symptoms. The cause of CD is unknown, although there are two major theories. One theory is that the structural changes in the cells of the bowel are perceived by the immune system as foreign and are attacked, leading to constant inflammation. The second theory is that an unknown type of bacterium persistently attacks the bowel, which also leads to constant inflammation. Patients with CD are usually nutritionally deficient which is mainly due to a decreased intake and malabsorption of nutrients. This tends to happen because certain parts of the abdomen might be inflamed so the patient may not be able to properly absorb the food, which can cause them to be deficient in certain vitamins and other nutrients. Although diet may affect the symptoms in patients with this disease, it appears unlikely...

Words: 1469 - Pages: 6