Anorexia nervosa
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Anorexia nervosa is a psychiatric eating disorder in which people has an intense fear of gaining weight , that makes them lose more weight than is considered right weight for their age and height. Patient thought that they are fat even though they are very thin.
What are the risk factors for anorexia nervosa?
1. Female sex mostly teenage girls
2. Having eating problems
3. Having a negative self image
4. Anxiety disorder as a child
5. Caucasians race
6. Upper and socioeconomic group
7. Athletes, models, dancer and actors
What causes the anorexia nervosa?
The exact cause of anorexia nervosa is still unknown but believed that, genetic (inherited component) and different hormone may play a role. Other studies had focused on a dysfunction in the hypothalamus (which regulates certain metabolic processes) and some studies have suggested that imbalances in neurotransmitter levels in the brain may occur in patients suffering from anorexia nervosa.
What are the signs and symptoms or anorexia nervosa?
- Weight loss at least 15% below the normal ideal body weight.
- Have an intense fare of gaining weight despite of underweight.
- Taking diet pill
- Eating very little
- A lot of exercise
- Have a body image that is very distorted and always focused on the body shape, body weight.
- Going to toiled right after the meals
- Amenorrhea (stop menstrual periods) for three or more than three cycle.
- Yellow and dry skin
- Abdominal distension
- Low blood pressure, slow heart rate, palpitations
- Anemia and other blood disorder
- Confused and slow thinking
- Dry mouth
- Depressing
- Anxiety
- Obsessive behavior
- Substance abuse
- Loss bone density
- Wasting muscle and loss of body fat
What are the complications of anorexia nervosa?
- Abdominal swelling
- Hypokalemia (low potassium)
- Severe dehydration
- Seizure
- Tooth decay
- Coma
How is Anorexia nervosa diagnosed?
Anorexia nervosa is solely diagnosed on clinical signs and symptoms but different test is required to rule out other conditions such as Addison’s disease, celiac disease and inflammatory bowel disease, which causes the weight loss or muscle wasting. Tests include:
- Albumin
- Complete blood count
- Electrolytes
- Kidney function tests
- Urinalysis
- Liver function tests
- Serum cholinesterase
- Thyroid function tests
- Parathyroid hormone
- Total protein
- ELISA, Western blot analysis
- Glucose tolerance test
- Upper GI series
- Electrocardiogram (ECG)
- Echocardiogram
- X-ray
- CT, MRI, PET scan, SPECT imaging
Diagnostic criteria for anorexia nervosa in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV (DSM-IV) include:
- A refusal to maintain body weight at or above a minimally normal weight for age and height (usually less than 85% of ideal body weight)
- Intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat
- Disturbance in the way one’s body weight or shape is experienced, with denial of current low body weight
- Amenorrhea in postmenarchal females of at least 3 menstrual cycles
How is anorexia nervosa managed?
- Restore normal body weight and eating habit. Weight gain of 0.45 kg to 1.35kg per week is safe.
- Family support
- Promote healthy eating
- Increase social activity
- Reducing physical activity
- Zinc and vitamins supplementations
- Antidepressants, antipsychotic and mood stabilizers such as tricyclics antidepressants, SSRIs, norepinephrine-dopamine reuptake inhibitors may help some anorexic patients.
- Cognitive behavioral therapy
- Cognitive remediation therapy
What is the prognosis of anorexia nervosa?
It a serious a psychiatric condition that can be dangerous, it leads to death 10% of total patients. Weigh management is difficulty and long term therapy may required to stay at a healthy weight.
References:
- ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- netdoctor.co.uk
- emedicine.medscape.com
- familydoctor.org
- womenshealth.gov
- medicinenet.com
- en.wikipedia.org
- tandurust.com
- mayoclinic.com
Filed Under: Psychology
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