Nausea and Vomiting Flashcards Preview

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Flashcards in Nausea and Vomiting Deck (11)
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1
Q

Define nausea

A

Unpleasant feeling of the need to vomit

2
Q

Define vomiting

A

Explusion of gastric contents through the mouth caused by forceful and sustained contraction of the abdominal muscles and the diaphragm

3
Q

What things can cause vomiting?

A
Drugs
Biochemical causes
Motion sickness
Sights, smells
Fear, anxiety
Raised ICP
Gag reflex
Gastric stasis/motility
Gastric irritation 
Visceral stretching (MI, bowel, liver capsule, bladder)
4
Q

What is the chemoreceptor trigger zone (CTZ)?

A

Area that receives inputs from drugs or hormones, and communicates with other structures in the vomiting centre to initiate vomiting

5
Q

Where is the CTZ found?

A

Area postrema, (on floor of the fourth ventricle and is outside of the blood–brain barrier) in the medulla oblongata

6
Q

What part of the brain communicates with the vomiting centre to produce motion sickness?

A

Vestibulocochlear organs

7
Q

What part of the brain communicates with the vomiting centre to produce nausea/vomiting due to sights/smells/anxiety/raised ICP?

A

Cerebral cortex

8
Q

What nerves communicate with the GI tract to cause nausea/vomiting?

A

Vagus, splanchnic and sympathetic NS

9
Q

What nerve is involved in the gag reflex?

A

Glossopharyngeal

10
Q

What are the two main parts of the brain that are involved in vomiting?

A

CTZ and vomiting centre
CTZ - activated by drugs/hormones + when activated sends signals to vomiting centres
Vomiting centre - causes smooth muscle contractions in GIT to cause emesis

11
Q

What things may activate the vomiting centre?

A

Raised ICP
Motion, sights/smells
Pharynx
Visceral stretching (e.g. liver capsule, MI…)