As an advanced practice nurse, you will likely encounter patients who will present with symptoms affecting the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Of special note, is the consideration that most symptoms concerning the GI tract are non-specific and therefore, diagnosing diagnoses of the GI tract require thoughtful and careful investigation. Similarly, hepatobiliary disorders may also mirror many of the signs and symptoms that patients present when suffering from GI disorders.

How might you tease out the specific signs and symptoms between these potential disorders and body systems? What drug therapy plans will best address these disorders for your patients?

This week, you examine GI and hepatobiliary disorders. You will review a patient case study and consider those factors in recommending and prescribing a drug therapy plan fo your patient.

Rosenthal, L. D., & Burchum, J. R. (2021). Lehne’s pharmacotherapeutics for advanced practice nurses and physician assistants (2nd ed.) St. Louis, MO: Elsevier.

• Chapter 64, “Drugs for      Peptic Ulcer Disease” (pp. 589–597)
• Chapter 65, “Laxatives” (pp.      598–604)
• Chapter 66, “Other      Gastrointestinal Drugs” (pp. 605–616)
• Chapter 80, “Antiviral Agents I: Drugs for      Non-HIV Viral Infections” (pp. 723–743)

Chalasani, N., Younossi, Z., Lavine, J. E., Charlton, M., Cusi, K., Rinella, M., . . . Sanya, A. J. (2018). The diagnosis and management of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: Practice guidance fro

ASSIGNMENT: 

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.

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.

This week we will be discussing the gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary systems and drugs used to treat those disorders. We will specifically focus on nausea/vomiting,  gastroesophageal reflux disease, peptic ulcer disease,  constipation, diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome,  inflammatory bowel disease, and  cirrhosis. 

CASE STUDY: Patient HL comes into the clinic with the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. The patient has a history of drug abuse and possible Hepatitis C. HL is currently taking the following prescription drugs:

· Synthroid 100 mcg daily

· Nifedipine 30 mg daily

· Prednisone 10 mg daily