Identification, Assessment & Management of Anorexia Nervosa

Case: Assessment & Diagnosis

Medical Complications
KT
Knowledge Translation Commentary

Consider investigating the following medical symptoms:

Cardiac
  • Crushing chest pain
  • Palpitations
Respiratory
  • Short of breath when not exercising
Digestive
  • Heart burn
  • Bloating
  • Early fullness
  • Constipation
  • Diarrhea
  • Regurgitation
General
  • Dizziness
  • Fainting
  • Muscle cramps
Less concerning symptoms
  • Feeling cold all the time
  • Dry skin
  • Hair falling out
  • Lanugo
  • Fatigue
  • Swollen cheeks
  • Painful/bleeding gums
  • Tooth pain

Note: If the patient doesn't have all these symptoms, the eating disorder is still a serious concern as heart arrthymias can occur suddenly and result in death without previous symptoms if the patient's potassium is low

Electrolyte abnormalities
  • Hyponatremia
  • Hypokalemia
  • Hypochloremia
  • Metabolic alkalosis
  • Metabolic acidosis
  • Hypomagnesemia
  • Hypophosphatemia
Other
  • Dehydration
  • Gastrointestinal
  • Cardiovascular
  • Metabolic
  • Renal
  • Endocrine
  • Dermatological
  • Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Thyroid Axis
  • Hematologic
  • Neurological