A 56-year-old female is conscious and alert and complaining of diarrhea and nausea. The patient describes a two-day history of her symptoms and states that the pain is "all over her abdomen." All four quadrants are tender to palpation. She also describes hematochezia. PMH includes CAD, and she recently began taking 325 mg of ASA once a day. Of the following, which is the most likely cause of her clinical condition?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The patient's symptoms of diarrhea, nausea, and diffuse abdominal pain, along with hematochezia, are most consistent with acute gastroenteritis. This condition can cause inflammation of the stomach and intestines leading to these symptoms. The other options listed have more specific symptom profiles and locations of pain that do not match the patient's presentation as closely.

A 56-Year-Old Female Is Conscious and Alert and Complaining of Diarrhea