Sid's condition (I think)
Patients with duodenal ulcer have a variety of clinical presentations, ranging from individuals who are completely asymptomatic to those who develop severe complications, such as GI hemorrhage.
Some generalizations can be made with respect to common clinical presentations of duodenal ulcer.
Some common symptoms in patients with duodenal ulcer are described below.
Epigastric pain can be sharp, dull, burning, or penetrating.
Many patients experience a feeling of hunger.
The pain may radiate into the back.
About 20-40% of patients describe bloating, belching, or symptoms suggestive of gastroesophageal reflux.
Ulcer-related pain generally occurs 2-3 hours after meals and often awakens the patient at night. This pattern is believed to be the result of increased gastric acid secretion, which occurs after meals and during the late night and early morning hours when circadian stimulation of gastric acid secretion is the highest.
About 50-80% of patients with duodenal ulcer experience nightly pain, as opposed to only 30-40% of patients with gastric ulcer and 20-40% of patients with nonulcer dyspepsia (NUD).
Pain is often relieved by food, a finding often cited as being specific for duodenal ulcer. However, this symptom is present in only 20-60% of patients and probably not specific for duodenal ulcer.
The pain of duodenal ulcer is generally episodic; however, the pain can evolve into a chronic, daily occurrence in some patients.
A change in the patient's usual pattern of ulcer pain should be considered serious because it may herald an imminent complication. When food or antacids fail to relieve the pain or when the pain begins to radiate to new anatomical locations, a high index of suspicion is warranted.
Concern is especially warranted in the setting of new-onset nausea and vomiting, decreased appetite, and weight loss.
GI bleeding is a common complication of duodenal ulcer and can have serious consequences.
Patients may present with melena, coffee-ground emesis, or hematemesis.
The passage of frank blood in the stool or maroon-colored stool in the presence of a bleeding duodenal ulcer suggests precipitous GI bleeding.
Some generalizations can be made with respect to common clinical presentations of duodenal ulcer.
Some common symptoms in patients with duodenal ulcer are described below.
Epigastric pain can be sharp, dull, burning, or penetrating.
Many patients experience a feeling of hunger.
The pain may radiate into the back.
About 20-40% of patients describe bloating, belching, or symptoms suggestive of gastroesophageal reflux.
Ulcer-related pain generally occurs 2-3 hours after meals and often awakens the patient at night. This pattern is believed to be the result of increased gastric acid secretion, which occurs after meals and during the late night and early morning hours when circadian stimulation of gastric acid secretion is the highest.
About 50-80% of patients with duodenal ulcer experience nightly pain, as opposed to only 30-40% of patients with gastric ulcer and 20-40% of patients with nonulcer dyspepsia (NUD).
Pain is often relieved by food, a finding often cited as being specific for duodenal ulcer. However, this symptom is present in only 20-60% of patients and probably not specific for duodenal ulcer.
The pain of duodenal ulcer is generally episodic; however, the pain can evolve into a chronic, daily occurrence in some patients.
A change in the patient's usual pattern of ulcer pain should be considered serious because it may herald an imminent complication. When food or antacids fail to relieve the pain or when the pain begins to radiate to new anatomical locations, a high index of suspicion is warranted.
Concern is especially warranted in the setting of new-onset nausea and vomiting, decreased appetite, and weight loss.
GI bleeding is a common complication of duodenal ulcer and can have serious consequences.
Patients may present with melena, coffee-ground emesis, or hematemesis.
The passage of frank blood in the stool or maroon-colored stool in the presence of a bleeding duodenal ulcer suggests precipitous GI bleeding.
Trackbacks
No Trackbacks
The author does not allow comments to this entry
Comments
Display comments as Linear | Threaded