Gastrointestinal conditions

Abstract Gastrointestinal complaints range from mild and transient disorders, through to life-threatening diseases. People with disorders of the gastrointestinal system may be encountered in both hospital and community settings. In the community, people with long-term or other acute health conditions may experience disturbances in their eating patterns or bowel habits and, within the hospital environment, people having treatment for other diagnosed conditions may develop associated gastrointestinal disorders. People with severe gastrointestinal conditions will often be cared for by specialist nurses, but general adult nurses will encounter people with gastrointestinal conditions in all areas of clinical practice, either as a primary complaint or as a secondary complication of other illnesses or treatments. This chapter outlines key facts about gastrointestinal conditions, investigations, and treatment interventions which are likely to be useful to the general nurse and describes key nursing considerations for working with people with these disorders. An overview of frequently prescribed medicines for gastrointestinal conditions is presented in a summary table.