NUTRIENT DEFICIENCY RELATED DISORDERS

What Is Idiopathic Hypoparathyroidism? Idiopathic hypoparathyroidism is a metabolic condition that results from reduced secretion or impaired action of parathyroid hormone (PTH) which results in a combination of low calcium and elevated phosphorus levels in the body. Calcium and phosphorus are ...

What Is Primary Hyperparathyroidism? Primary hyperparathyroidism is a parathyroid disorder characterized by excessive secretion of parathyroid hormone by one or more parathyroid glands for more than 6 months. In primary hyperparathyroidism, blood calcium levels are high while phosphorus levels are ...

What Is Steatorrhea? Steatorrhea is a condition of abnormal stool composition and consistency that is due to high fat content because fat from food is not  digested and absorbed into the body but rather passes out with stool.1 Q: How ...

What Is Pancreatic Insufficiency? Pancreatic insufficiency is a disorder characterized by insufficient exocrine production of pancreatic enzymes for normal digestion of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates that results in maldigestion of these foodstuffs. Pancreatic insufficiency also causes malabsorption of the fat-soluble ...

What Are Gastro-Intestinal Complications Of Type 1 Diabetes? Gastrointestinal complications of type I diabetes mellitus are functional or organic changes that result from diabetes affecting every organ of the gastrointestinal tract. Q: How do gastrointestinal tract complications affect diabetes? A: Impaired ...

What Is Diabetic Instability? Diabetic instability, also called brittle diabetes, is poor control of blood sugar characterized by frequent rise (hyperglycemia) and fall (hypoglycemia). These fluctuations can be life-threatening and cause unnecessary complications. Q: What are complications in diabetes? A: Complications ...

What Is Occult Gastrointestinal Bleeding? Occult gastrointestinal bleeding is characterized by unseen or minute quantities of blood in stool. The origin of bleeding is from mucosa that lines the inside of the digestive tract at a site that must be ...

What Is Chronic Constipation Alternating With Diarrhea? Chronic constipation alternating with diarrhea is an intestinal motility disorder, or irregularity, characterized by alteration in stool formation, consistency, and evacuation which results in a bowel movement that consists of some hard or balled ...

What Is Lactose Intolerance? Lactose intolerance is a well known symptom of carbohydrate malabsorption characterized by inability to properly digest lactose, the sugar in milk, due to low lactase digesting activity in the small intestine. Lactase is an enzyme produced ...

What Is Acute Diarrhea? Acute diarrhea is a small intestinal motility disorder characterized by excessively rapid movement of intestinal contents through the small intestine with excessive loss of fluid and electrolytes that leads rapidly to a life threatening hypokalemia (low ...

What Is Carbohydrate Malabsorption? Carbohydrate malabsorption is a digestive disorder characterized by the inability to properly digest and absorb carbohydrates within the small intestine to supply needed energy to the body. Q: What carbohydrates should be normally digested and absorbed? A: In normal ...

What Is Chronic Or Recurrent Abdominal Pain? Abdominal pain is characterized by pain anywhere in the abdominal cavity between the chest and groin. This region is often referred to as the belly. Abdominal pain, or bellyache, indicates that something is ...

What Is Chronic Abdominal Distention? Abdominal distention, or bloating, is characterized by enlargement in normal size of abdomen not due to fatty tissue. Q: Why does the abdomen enlarge? A: The abdomen enlarges because the bowel is dysfunctional. Loops of ...

What Is Heartburn? Heartburn is a functional upper digestive symptom of esophagitis that is characterized by a burning sensation behind the breastbone. Q: Why does esophagitis cause heartburn? A: Esophagitis is inflammation of the mucosal lining of the esophagus. The most ...

What Is Esophageal Small Cell Cancer (Carcinoma)? Esophageal small cell carcinoma is a rare and aggressive malignancy arising in the esophagus with a poor prognosis. Q: Where does the cancer occur in the esophagus? A: Esophageal cancer can occur anywhere in ...