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= Paid-up subscribersManaging dyspepsia in primary care
01 Oct 2009
In general practice patients frequently present with pain or discomfort associated with eating. Dyspepsia can be defined as pain or discomfort centred in the upper abdomen which may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, early satiety, bloating, pain or heartburn. Immediate referral is recommended for patients with dyspepsia and significant acute GI bleeding and urgent specialist referral for investigation if any of the following alarm symptoms are present: progressive difficulty swallowing; chronic GI bleeding; unintentional weight loss; persistent vomiting; abdominal mass;iron deficiency anaemia; or suspicious findings on barium meal. These features are suggestive of an increased likelihood of serious disease but are not at all specific.
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