Home | Looking for something? Sign In | New here? Sign Up | Log out

Diseases and Conditions: Anorexia Nervosa - Eating Disorder

Overview of Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia nervosa is eating disorder obsessed with weight and body shape. They perceived themselves as fat or overweight although they are already skeletally thin.
Anorexia nervosa is a way to cope with emotional problems, They tend to regain self-worth by controlling their eating habit.
Approaches to client with anorexia nervosa is the same with bulimia nervosa

Diagnostic Criteria of Anorexia Nervosa
  • refusal to maintain body weight
  • intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat even though already underweight
  • disturbance in a way in which one's body weight or shape is experienced, undue influence of body weight or shape on evaluation, or denial of the seriousness of the current low body weight
  • amenorrhea for 3 cycles
Underlying problem: Depression
Neurotransmitter: Serotonin
Personality type: Perfectionist
Preoccupation: Food and Body Image
Sex: Female
Age: 12 - 30 years old
DOC: Antidepressant

Awareness to Condition: No Awareness
Differences: Amenorrhea, Hypotension, Illusion
Word to Remember: Mirror

Resolution: weight gain of 1 pound per week

Signs and Symptoms of Anorexia Nervosa
  • refuses to eat
  • plays with food and eats only very small amounts
  • perceives body or body part as being fat even though thin
  • absent menses
  • hypothermia, hypotension, bradycardia
Nursing Interventions for Anorexia Nervosa

1. provide a structured environment to patient
2. provide consistency in approach
3. encourage client to make food journals (listing of the 3-day consumption of food for evaluation)
4. help client to use new and effective coping mechanisms

related post: Bulimia Nervosa

0 comments:

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner