DYSPHAGIA

Course overview

PATIENTS SUBJECTIVELY DEFINE DYSPHAGIA AS DIFFICULTY SWALLOWING AND OBJECTIVELY DEFINED BY CLINICIANS AS AN IMPAIRMENT IN SWALLOWING THAT RESULTS IN AN ABNORMAL DELAY IN THE TRANSIT OF A LIQUID OR SOLID BOLUS FROM THE ORAL CAVITY TO THE STOMACH. DYSPHAGIA MAY BE ACUTE OR CHRONIC, INTERMITTENT OR PERSISTENT. A GLOBUS SENSATION MAY ACCOMPANY IT. DYSPHAGIA MAY BE DUE TO ABNORMALITIES IN THE OROPHARYNGEAL OR ESOPHAGEAL PHASES OF SWALLOWING, OR IT MAY BE MIXED. THE UNDERLYING ETIOLOGY MAY BE A MECHANICAL OBSTRUCTION OR A MOTILITY DISORDER. ANATOMICAL, NEUROMUSCULAR, INFECTIOUS, AND INFLAMMATORY DISEASES MAY ALL PRESENT WITH OR CONTRIBUTE TO DYSPHAGIA. THE MEDICAL HISTORY AND PHYSICAL EXAMINATION ARE CRITICAL TO DETERMINING THE ETIOLOGY OF DYSPHAGIA AND WILL OFTEN POINT TO A DIAGNOSIS. THE MANAGEMENT OF DYSPHAGIA IS DEPENDENT ON THE CAUSE OF DYSPHAGIA AND ASSOCIATED CONDITIONS. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT OF OROPHARYNGEAL AND ESOPHAGEAL DYSPHAGIA AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN IMPROVING CARE FOR PATIENTS WITH DYSPHAGIA.