1. DISORDERS AND
DISEASES OF THE
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM

2. DISORDERS OF THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
 Diarrhea – characterized by loose bowel which is sometimes
accompanied vomiting. It is usually caused by eating
contaminated foods which infect the digestive tract.
 Constipation – characterized by hard, dry stool, and bowel
movements that are infrequent or hard to pass.
 Irritable bowel syndrome – a disorder in which a person
alternately experiences diarrhea and constipation. It caused
by stress, allergies, and insuf ficient intake of dietary fiber.
 Obesity – an abnormal accumulation of fat in the body. It is a
metabolic disorder which occurs when a person takes in more
calories than the amount he or she uses.
 Lactose intolerance – inability of the body to absorb sugar. It
caused by a defienciency in the enzyme lactase which break
down sugar.

3. DISEASES OF THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
 Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) – a disease in which
the ingested food leaks back from the stomach into the
esophagus. It happens when the esophageal sphincter does not
close well.
 Esophagitis – the inflammation of the esophagus commonly
caused by infection. It is also a complication of GERD.
 Peptic Ulcer – a painful lesion of the stomach of small
instestine.
 Gastritis – a disease that causes the inflammation of the lining
of the stomach. It has many causes such as alcohol abuse,
cigarette smoking, excessive consumption of coffee and aspirin.
 Colon Cancer – the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the
large intestine. It is third most common cancer in Philippines.

4. CONTEMPORARY HEALTH ISSUE:
MALNUTRITION
Malnutrition is a condition that develops when the
body does not get the right amount of nutrients it
needs to maintain healthy tissues and organ function.
When a person is malnourished, his or her body is not
capable of growing and developing properly.

5. TECHNOLOGIES USED IN MONITORING
THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
 Ensoscopy – done to examine the lining of the digestive tract
using an endoscope to detect any disorder.
Endoscope is a long, thin, flexible tube with a small fiber-optic
video camera which has a light attached at one end and
equipped with tiny biopsy forceps that are used to cut or obtain
tissue samples. The doctor inserts the enscope into the anus of
the patient and carefully moves it into the rectum until it
reaches the colon. It
examine he condition of
the esophagus, stomach, and
duodenum.

6.  Advanced Imaging Systems - it has to commonly used
technologies in the detection of the diseases without using
invasive procedures such as surgical methods and even
endoscopy.
CT Scan – is an x-ray machine used to generate cross -sectional
and three – or four – dimensional image of the internal organs
and structures of the body.
MRI – is a medical-imaging technology where the machine uses
strong magnetic fields and radio waves in producing images.
Ultrasound – is another diagnostic imaging technique in which
high-frequency sound waves are used to generate images of the
blood vessels and internal organs which are projected into a
computer screen.

7.  Laboratory Tests – there are some tests that can be done to
diagnose diseases or disorders of the digestive system. Once
common test is the stool test in which a stool sample is
cultured and checked for the presence of bacteria that cause
diarrhea and other forms of diseases.
Anorectal manometry – is a medical procedure in which the
strength of the anus and rectum is measured.
Gastric manometry – is a medical procedure that is used to
measure the electrical and muscular activity in the stomach.