Shadow Health Assignments
Assignment: Pharmacotherapy for Gastrointestinal and Hepatobiliary Disorders
Diagnosing and Treating Gastrointestinal and Liver Disorders
In this assignment, we focus on diagnosing and treating gastrointestinal (GI) and liver disorders. The case study revolves around a patient named HL who is experiencing symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, and nausea. Considering a history of drug misuse, there’s a possibility of Hepatitis C. The patient’s current medications include Synthroid, Nifedipine, and Prednisone.
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For HL, the primary diagnosis is gastroenteritis. This condition involves inflammation of the intestines, often caused by viruses, bacteria, or parasites. In the US, viral gastroenteritis is a common ailment, possibly linked to the norovirus. Symptoms include vomiting, abdominal pain, fever, and chills.
The patient’s use of prednisone is crucial in this diagnosis. The liver processes prednisone into prednisolone. Corticosteroids like prednisone can impact liver function and worsen hepatitis C, leading to symptoms like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea (LiverTox, 2020).
To manage symptoms, HL should take frequent sips of water and ease back into eating with easily digestible foods like crackers and toast. If nausea occurs after eating, it’s advisable to stop eating. The drug therapy plan for this patient should focus on symptom management and gradually tapering off prednisone. Ondansetron, a less sedative antiemetic than promethazine, would be a suitable addition. Nifedipine and Synthroid need not be discontinued.
References
LiverTox: Clinical and Research Information on Drug-Induced Liver Injury [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases; 2012-2020. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK547852
Diagnosing and Treating Gastrointestinal and Liver Disorders Assignment
Gastrointestinal (GI) and liver disorders can lead to various symptoms, such as abdominal pain, constipation, and fatigue. Since different disorders share similar symptoms, advanced practice nurses need to accurately diagnose the underlying cause to provide effective treatment.
This assignment involves analyzing a case study of a patient with potential GI or liver issues and designing a suitable drug therapy plan. Consider the patient’s symptoms, medical history, and current medications when making your diagnosis and treatment recommendations.
By considering these factors, you can ensure that the patient receives a tailored drug therapy plan that targets the root cause of their symptoms.
To Prepare
Review the case study assigned for this assignment.
Reflect on the patient’s symptoms, medical history, and current medications.
Determine a possible diagnosis for the patient’s condition.
Devise an appropriate drug therapy plan based on the diagnosis and the patient’s medical history.
By the end of Week 4
Write a 1-page paper addressing the following:
Explain your diagnosis for the patient, providing your rationale.
Describe a suitable drug therapy plan based on the patient’s diagnosis, medical history, and current medications.
Justify your chosen drug therapy plan with specific examples and reasoning.
Remember to adhere to the College of Nursing’s requirements for paper formatting, including a title page, introduction, summary, and references. The Sample Paper available at the Walden Writing Center can guide you in meeting these formatting standards (accessible at http://writingcenter.waldenu.edu/57.htm). Make sure your paper follows this structure to ensure a well-organized submission.
To submit your completed assignment for review and grading:
Save your paper using the designated naming format: “WK4Assgn+LastName+FirstInitial.(extension)”.
Review the grading criteria in the Week 4 Assignment Rubric.
Access the Week 4 Assignment link and click “View Rubric” to understand the evaluation criteria.
In the Attach File section, click “Browse My Computer” to locate and open your saved document (“WK4Assgn+LastName+FirstInitial.(extension)”).
If applicable, check the box to agree to submit your paper(s) to the Global Reference Database as part of the Plagiarism Tools.
Click “Submit” to complete your submission.
Pharmacotherapy for Gastrointestinal and Hepatobiliary Disorders
The case of HL is the subject of this Assignment: Pharmacotherapy for Gastrointestinal and Hepatobiliary Disorders paper. In the clinic, patient HL presents with the following symptoms: vomiting, diarrhea, and nausea. There is a possibility that the patient has Hepatitis C due to a history of drug misuse. These are the medications that HL is now taking: Synthroid, Nifedipine, and Prednisone.
Gastroenteritis would be my primary diagnosis for HL. An infection of the lining of the intestines is known as gastroenteritis, which can be caused by a virus, bacteria, or parasite. The second most prevalent ailment in the United States is viral gastroenteritis. There is a good chance that norovirus is to blame. It can be passed from person to person or by contaminated food or drink. Vomiting, chills, abdominal pain, and fever are among the patient’s symptoms. Assignment: Pharmacotherapy for Gastrointestinal and Hepatobiliary Disorders
The patient’s use of prednisone is the basis for this diagnosis. The liver converts prednisone to prednisolone. This patient’s liver function may have been affected by corticosteroids, which can increase hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA levels, ultimately leading to aggravation of the underlying liver illness and causing nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea in the stomach (LiverTox, 2020).
Take tiny, frequent sips of water throughout the day. Slowly get back into the habit of eating. Foods that are easy to digest, such as soda crackers, toast, and gelatin, are a good place to start. Stop eating if your stomach starts to feel nauseous after eating. The patient’s drug therapy should focus on symptom management and tapering off prednisone. I would gradually decrease the dosage of prednisone until it was eliminated. An antiemetic like ondansetron would be a good addition. It is less sedative than promethazine; thus, I choose ondansetron instead. There is no need to stop taking nifedipine and Synthroid; thus, I would recommend doing so.
References
LiverTox: Clinical and Research Information on Drug-Induced Liver Injury [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases; 2012-2020. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK547852
Assignment: Pharmacotherapy for Gastrointestinal and Hepatobiliary Disorders
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Gastrointestinal (GI) and hepatobiliary disorders affect the structure and function of the GI tract. Many of these disorders often have similar symptoms, such as abdominal pain, cramping, constipation, nausea, bloating, and fatigue. Since multiple disorders can be tied to the same symptoms, it is important for advanced practice nurses to carefully evaluate patients and prescribe a treatment that targets the cause rather than the symptom.
Once the underlying cause is identified, an appropriate drug therapy plan can be recommended based on medical history and individual patient factors. In this Assignment, you examine a case study of a patient who presents with symptoms of a possible GI/hepatobiliary disorder, and you design an appropriate drug therapy plan.
To Prepare
- Review the case study assigned by your Instructor for this Assignment
- Reflect on the patient’s symptoms, medical history, and drugs currently prescribed.
- Think about a possible diagnosis for the patient. Consider whether the patient has a disorder related to the gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary system or whether the symptoms are the result of a disorder from another system or other factors, such as pregnancy, drugs, or a psychological disorder.
- Consider an appropriate drug therapy plan based on the patient’s history, diagnosis, and drugs currently prescribed.
By Day 7 of Week 4
Write a 1-page paper that addresses the following:
- Explain your diagnosis for the patient, including your rationale for the diagnosis.
- Describe an appropriate drug therapy plan based on the patient’s history, diagnosis, and drugs currently prescribed.
- Justify why you would recommend this drug therapy plan for this patient. Be specific and provide examples.
Reminder: The College of Nursing requires that all papers submitted include a title page, introduction, summary, and references. The Sample Paper provided at the Walden Writing Center offers an example of those required elements (available at http://writingcenter.waldenu.edu/57.htm). All papers submitted must use this formatting.
Submission and Grading Information
To submit your completed Assignment for review and grading, do the following:
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- Please save your Assignment using the naming convention “WK4Assgn+last name+first initial.(extension)” as the name.
- Click the Week 4 Assignment Rubric to review the Grading Criteria for the Assignment.
- Click the Week 4 Assignment link. You will also be able to “View Rubric” for grading criteria from this area.
- Next, from the Attach File area, click on the Browse My Computer button. Find the document you saved as “WK4Assgn+last name+first initial.(extension)” and click Open.
- If applicable: From the Plagiarism Tools area, click the checkbox for I agree to submit my paper(s) to the Global Reference Database. Assignment: Pharmacotherapy for Gastrointestinal and Hepatobiliary Disorders
- Click on the Submit button to complete your submission.