DC is a 46-year-old female who presents with a 24-hour history of RUQ pain. She states the pain started about 1 hour after a large dinner with her family. She has had nausea and one instance of vomiting before presentation.

 

PMH: Vitals:

 

HTN Temp: 98.8oF

 

Type II DM Wt: 202 lbs

 

Gout Ht: 5’8”

 

DVT – Caused by oral BCPs BP: 136/82

 

HR: 82 bpm

 

Current Medications: Notable Labs:

 

Lisinopril 10 mg daily WBC: 13,000/mm3

 

HCTZ 25 mg daily Total bilirubin: 0.8 mg/dL

 

Allopurinol 100 mg daily Direct bilirubin: 0.6 mg/dL

 

Multivitamin daily Alk Phos: 100 U/L

 

AST: 45 U/L

 

ALT: 30 U/L

 

Allergies:

 

Latex

Codeine

Amoxicillin

PE:

 

Eyes: EOMI

HENT: Normal

GI:bNondistended, minimal tenderness

Skin:bWarm and dry

Neuro: Alert and Oriented

Psych:bAppropriate mood

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.