General Medicine

20 learning units • 100 chapter sections • 200 explained questions. Assess the patient, choose investigations and build a monitored management plan across adult medical specialties.

Original RAHBAR study material for the Year 4 learning pathway. Clinical cases support supervised undergraduate learning. Treatment choices, doses and procedures must follow current local protocols and the responsible clinical team. References & further reading ↓

MODULE 11 / 20

Diarrhoea, Malabsorption & Abdominal Pain

Use time course, alarm features and hydration status to distinguish self-limited illness from inflammatory or surgical disease.

Choose an answer and check it immediately. Change your choice to try again. This is a self-study exercise; results are not saved.

Question 01. Which diarrhoea finding requires urgent assessment? A. One loose stool with normal hydrationB. Shock with marked abdominal distensionC. Mild short-lived symptoms aloneD. A normal appetite without pain

Question 02. What history particularly raises concern for C. difficile? A. A remote eye examinationB. Wearing new shoesC. Recent antibiotic exposureD. A healed wrist fracture

Question 03. Is antibiotic treatment required for every episode of watery diarrhoea? A. No, treatment depends on cause and severityB. Yes, invariablyC. Only the stool colour determines itD. Yes, even without symptoms

Question 04. Which pattern suggests inflammatory bowel disease? A. Persistent bloody diarrhoea with weight lossB. Isolated transient hiccupsC. Brief vertigo after turning in bedD. A single painless sneeze

Question 05. What does faecal calprotectin indicate most directly? A. One specific disease with certaintyB. Intestinal inflammation in the appropriate contextC. Exact pancreatic enzyme outputD. Proof of a functional disorder

Question 06. Why avoid starting a gluten-free diet before coeliac testing when feasible? A. It can reduce diagnostic test sensitivityB. It always proves coeliac diseaseC. It makes total IgA unnecessary in all casesD. It increases every antibody titre

Question 07. What is appropriate in severe colitis with systemic toxicity? A. Unsupervised escalation of antimotility drugsB. Routine reassurance for monthsC. Urgent specialist assessmentD. Ignoring abdominal distension

Question 08. Which suggests malabsorption in chronic diarrhoea? A. Normal function with one brief episodeB. Weight loss with nutrient deficienciesC. Isolated ear painD. A normal temperature alone

Question 09. What should prompt reassessment of a previous functional-bowel diagnosis? A. An unchanged longstanding mild pattern aloneB. A normal examination without new symptomsC. A stable treatment preferenceD. New bleeding or progressive weight loss

Question 10. What is a useful initial measure for a stable patient able to drink with diarrhoeal dehydration? A. Avoiding all fluidB. Alcohol as replacement fluidC. Appropriate oral rehydrationD. Starting every available antibiotic

0 / 10 answeredReady for assessment →

References & Further Reading

Read the relevant guideline sections alongside these original clinical teaching cases. Local pathways, available services and individual patient factors determine care.

Reference review: 27 September 2026. Consult current local protocols for prescribing, procedures and escalation.