The Voice of Reason

For you medical people out there, here’s a quick overview of IBD that highlights the key information you should know when discussing these diseases.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which includes Crohn’sdisease and ulcerative colitis (UC), is a relapsing and remitting condition characterized by chronic inflammation at various sites in the GI tract, which results in diarrhea and abdominal pain.

Inflammation results from a cell-mediated immune response in the GI mucosa. The precise etiology is unknown, but evidence suggests that the normal intestinal flora trigger an immune reaction in patients with a multifactorial genetic predisposition (perhaps involving abnormal epithelial barriers and mucosal immune defenses). No specific environmental, dietary, or infectious causes have been identified. The immune reaction involves the release of inflammatory mediators, including cytokines, interleukins, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF).

Additional information: Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Filed under: Medicine, Presentations | Tagged: Crohn's Disease, gastroenterology, GI, IBD, Medicine, Ulcerative colitis |