Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) PDF

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Prof. Dr. Wesam Ahmed Ibrahim Professor of Internal Medicine gu.edu.eg What is inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)? Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) refers to diseases that cause chronic inflammation in your gastrointest...

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Prof. Dr. Wesam Ahmed Ibrahim Professor of Internal Medicine gu.edu.eg What is inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)? Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) refers to diseases that cause chronic inflammation in your gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Its symptoms may come on suddenly (flares) and cause intense stomach cramps and diarrhea, among other issues. But IBD can affect more than your gut it can affect your overall physical health, emotional well-being and even your mental health Inflammatory bowel disease is a lifelong illness for which there’s no cure. But there are treatments that manage IBD symptoms. Types of IBD: Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are the main types of IBD: Crohn’s disease: This disease causes sores (ulcers) in your GI tract. It can affect any part of your GI tract, from your mouth to your anus (butthole), but it typically develops in your small intestine and the upper part of your large intestine. Ulcerative colitis (UC): UC causes swelling and sores (ulcers) in your large intestine. It usually starts in your rectum and can spread to part or all of your colon. How common is IBD? Experts estimate that 1.6 million people in the U.S. have IBD. The disease can affect anyone from young children to adults age 65 and older. But it most commonly affects people ages 15 to 35. What are the symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease? ü IBD symptoms may be mild or severe. ü They come and go, and you can’t always predict when they’ll happen. ü When they do, a healthcare provider may say you’re having an IBD flare (active disease). ü When your symptoms go away after treatment, a provider may say the disease is in remission. Common IBD symptoms include: Lower abdominal pain that may feel like stomach cramps. Blood in stool. Chronic diarrhea. Fatigue. Unintended weight loss. What causes inflammatory bowel disease? ü IBD happens when immune system cells in GI tract mistakenly attack healthy tissue, causing inflammation that leads to Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. ü Researchers don’t know the exact reason why this happens. ü But they’re studying mutations in certain genes that normally. Affect your mucosal barrier, which is the first line of defense in your intestine. Control bacteria growth in your intestine.  Common IBD triggers include: Antibiotics. NSAIDS (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). Smoking cigarettes. Stress. Researchers are also investigating if issues with your gut microbiome may play a part in the chronic inflammation that causes IBD Can food cause IBD symptoms? No, but you may notice that your symptoms get worse after you consume certain foods or liquids. Everyone is different, but food and drink that may make you feel worse may include: Beverages with alcohol. Caffeinated drinks. Carbonated drinks. Food made with milk. Food with lots of fiber. Greasy food. What are the risk factors for IBD? The most significant risk is having a family history of IBD. Studies show that 5% to 20% of people with IBD have a close family member parent, sibling or child who has IBD. What are the complications of inflammatory bowel disease? IBD may cause other medical conditions in your GI tract and beyond. Some may be medical emergencies or serious illnesses, including: Colon cancer: Having IBD increases the chance you’ll develop colon cancer. Perforated bowel: Symptoms include severe belly pain and cramping, bloated belly and pain when you touch your belly. Toxic megacolon: Symptoms include bloody diarrhea, severe belly pain and pain when you touch your belly. Other IBD complications that affect your GI tract are anal fistula and anal stenosis. Anal stenosis is when your anal canal narrow. IBD may increase your risk of complications like: Anemia (low levels of red blood cells). Blood clots. Eye pain and irritation. Kidney stones. Mouth sores. Liver diseases like cirrhosis and primary sclerosing cholangitis. Malabsorption and malnutrition. Swollen joints. Skin sores and rashes. Weakened bones (osteoporosis). Diagnose inflammatory bowel disease? A healthcare provider will do a physical examination. They’ll ask about your symptoms, including how long you’ve had them, if your symptoms are mild or severe and if they come and go. They may order the following tests: Complete blood count (CBC). Capsule endoscopy. Colonoscopy. Computed tomography (CT) scan. EUS (endoscopic ultrasound). Flexible sigmoidoscopy. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. Upper endoscopy. How is inflammatory bowel treated? Treatments vary depending on the type of IBD that you have, but all treatments focus on bringing IBD into remission and keeping it there. A healthcare provider may prescribe medication to ease symptoms. In some cases, you may need surgery if medications aren’t effective. Medication: In general, medications for IBD focus on managing inflammation and controlling your immune system’s response. Healthcare providers may use the same types of prescription medication to treat Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Medications may include: Antibiotics: You may receive antibiotics if you have an infection from an anal fistula. Antidiarrhea medication: If you have Crohn’s disease. Biologics: These medications calm your immune system, so it doesn’t release antibodies that trigger inflammatory bowel disease. Corticosteroids: You may receive this medication for inflammation. Immunomodulators and immunosuppressants: These medications also help to calm your immune system. Surgery: IBD medication may manage your symptoms for many years. But if medications stop working, your provider may recommend surgeries like a colectomy. Thank You gu.edu.eg