Gastrointestinal Module
Reading Outcomes
At the end of the class on February 12, 2020, you should be able to:
- Outline the normal physiological role and digestive functions of the GI system (including accessory organs such as pancreas, liver, gall bladder, and salivary glands)
- Explain the general roles of the following digestive enzymes: amylase, diassacharides, pepsin, trypsin, carboxypeptidase, and lipase.
- Describe the absorptive function of normal GI system with respect to protein, fat, carbohydrate, and vitamins
- State the site of origin (e.g., organ) and action of the following hormones: gastrin, secretin, and cholecystokinin (CCK)
- Describe the control, pathway of initiation and regulation, of digestion
- Explain the utility of 12 common clinical tests associated with the GI system (e.g., what information does it provide? when might the test result be abnormal?):
- secretin stimulation test
- serum gastrin
- serum carotenoids
- fecal fat
- fecal calprotectin
- d-xylose test
- pentagastrin stimulation test
- lactose intolerance test
- H. pylori test
- erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)
- tissue transglutaminase antibody test
- endoscopy
- Briefly describe the causes, pathophysiology and symptoms (also think about which clinical tests above are appropriate for investigation) of the following common GI disorders:
- peptic ulcer
- Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome
- pernicious anemia
- malabsorptive syndromes (including Celiac disease & tropical spruce)
- lactose intolerance
- inflammatory bowel diseases (ulcerative colitis & Crohn disease)
- Given a case study, defend the most probable diagnosis with physiological explanations of the clinical findings and laboratory test results
Please note that this reading resource alone may NOT address all of the listed module reading outcomes above. Additional research and independent learning may be necessary to fully prepare for class.
