Stools, blood

CDC Case Definition An illness caused by S. typhi that is often characterized by insidious onset of sustained fever, headache, malaise, anorexia, relative bradycardia, constipation or diarrhea, and nonproductive cough. However, many mild and atypical infections occur. Carriage of S. typhi may be prolonged. Laboratory criteria for diagnosis is isolation of S. typhi from blood, stool, or other clinical specimen. 

Mycobacterium Avium Complex (MAC) Blood, stool, sputum, bone marrow culture Microbiology laboratory BACTEC medium... 

Side effects Headaches, fatigue, drowsiness, nausea, heartburn, vomiting, diarrhea. Vitamin C with aspirin or sulfonamides may cause crystal formation in the urine (crystalluria) and can also cause a false negative occult (blood) stool result and false positive sugar result in the urine when tested by the Clinitest method. 

Neonates presenting with intoxication syndromes and who are comatose often have neurovegetative symptoms including breathing disorders with apnea, hiccups, bradycardia, and hypothermia. Some patients may emit a characteristic scent, which can be detected in the presence of the child and during an examination of a urine, blood, stool, cerumen, or cerebrospinal fluid sample [2, 3] (Table 5.1). 

Several potential blood, stool, and breath biomarkers have been studied for GI injuries, including stool and serum inflammatory markers and markers of small intestinal enterocyte mass and function. 

Irritable bowel syndrome (DBS) is an exceedingly common condition in all societies, characterized by abdominal discomfort or pain in association with altered bowel habit or incomplete stool evacuation, bloating and constipation or diarrhoea, easily go undetected and do not show up with common tests such as blood tests or x-rays. The estimated prevalence in the community is about 10%. Irritable bowel syndrome and its variants, collectively called functional gastrointestinal disorders, constitute 40-50% of all the patients seen by gastroenterologists in Western countries. 

DIARRHEA Diarrhea may be an indication of a super-infection of the gastrointestinal tract or pseudomembranous colitis. The nurse inspects all stools and notifies the primary health care provider if diarrhea occurs because it may be necessary to stop the drug. If diarrhea does occur and there appears to be blood and mucus in the stool, it is important to save a sample of the stool and test for occult blood using a test such as Hemoccult. If the stool tests positive for blood, the nurse saves the sample for possible further laboratory analysis. 

The nurse inspects each bowel movement and immediately reports to the primary health care provider the occurrence of diarrhea or loose stools containing blood and mucus because it may be necessary to discontinue the drug use and institute treatment for diarrhea, a superinfection, or pseudomembranous colitis. 

If there appears to be blood and mucus in die stool, die nurse saves a sample of the stool and tests for occult blood using a test such as Hemoccult. If the stool tests positive for blood, the sample is saved for possible laboratory testing for blood. 

The nurse checks the color of the stools. Black or dark stools or bright red blood in the stool may indicate gastrointestinal bleeding. The nurse reports to the primary care provider any change in the color of the stool. 

Also instruct your patient how to check the stools for occult blood (guaiac) by doing the following ... 

The nurse withholds the next dose and notifies the primary health care provider immediately if any gastric symptoms especially nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, evidence of bleeding (blood in stool, tarry stools), or abdominal pain occurs... 

When an opiate is used as an antidiarrheal drug, the nurse records each bowel movement, as well as its appearance, color, and consistency. The nurse should notify the primary health care provider immediately if diarrhea is not relieved or becomes worse if die patient has severe abdominal pain or if blood in die stool is noted. 

Notify the primary health care provider if you have a history of ulcers, feel faint, experience severe stomach pains, vomit blood or material that resembles coffee grounds, or have bloody or black stools. 

Periodic platelet counts, hematocrit, and tests for occult blood in die stool should be performed throughout die entire course of heparin therapy. 

A complete blood count, platelets, and stools for occult blood may be ordered periodically throughout therapy. Thrombocytopenia may occur during heparin administration. A mild, transient thrombocytopenia may occur 2 to 3 days after heparin therapy is begun. This early development of thrombocytopenia tends to resolve itself despite continued tiierapy. The nurse reports a platelet count of less than 100,000 mm3 immediately because die primary care provider may choose to discontinue die heparin therapy. 

The nurse should immediately report evidence of bleeding in any patient receiving heparin bleeding gums epistaxis (nosebleed), easy bruising, black tarry stools, hematuria (blood in the urine), oozing from wounds or IV sites or decrease in blood pressure. 

Mr. Rodriguez, age 68 years, is taking amiloride for hypertension. He and his wife stopped by the clinic for a routine blood pressure check, Mrs. Rodriguez states that her husband has been confused and very irritable for the last 2 days. He complains of nausea and has had several loose stools. Discuss what actionsyou would take, giving a rationale for each action. 

In addition to blood, certain types of specimens are submitted to the Pediatric laboratory which would not be commonly seen elsewhere. An example of this is sweat for analysis of chloride. The process of obtaining the sweat by iontophoresis usually falls to the personnel of the Laboratory of Neonatology (17). Stool for analysis of lipids and trypsin is more commonly submitted to the Laboratory of Neonatology than to the laboratory which services the adult population. The reason for this is that one is screening for certain intestinal diseases characteristic of infants and newborns which are rare in adults. Such conditions would be celiac disease, cystic fibrosis and others. 

Notify appropriate clinicians in the event of severe bruising, blood in urine or stool, or frequent nosebleeds ... 

A 51 -year-old woman presents to the emergency department complaining of abdominal pain for the past 3 days and dark tarry stools over the past 2 days. She states that she has never had these symptoms before and that she has been feeling weak and tired for the past 2 weeks. She denies having bright red blood in her stools or vomiting. She does not take any prescription medications and only takes extra-strength acetaminophen for occasional headaches. 

---