COURSE  

NURS 6521 Advanced Pharmacology

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.

ANSWER

The case study presents a 46-year-old female with complaints of a 24-hour history of right upper quadrant (RUQ) pain. The pain started around an hour after taking a large meal with her family. She also reports nausea and vomiting. She has a medical history of type 2 diabetes, hypertension, gout, and deep vein thrombosis. On physical examination, she is afebrile and obese, with a BMI of 30.7 and presents with minimal abdominal tenderness. The rest of her physical exam is unremarkable. Laboratory studies revealed leukocytosis (WBC: 13,000/mm3), elevated direct bilirubin (0.6 mg/dL), and slightly elevated AST (45 U/L). Her total bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, and ALT levels are within normal limits.………please click the icon below to purchase full answer at $10