As per the case presented for analysis in the question, a 38-year old man has been diagnosed with the Ulcerative disease. He explains that his aunt had been diagnosed with the Crohn’s disease years earlier. He wants to understand whether his condition is in any way related to his aunt’s condition. The current paper offers a detailed response to the patient’s inquiry. This paper also aims to detail the pathophysiologies of both the Crohn’s disease and the Ulcerative disease. Analyzing rates of prevalence and available modes of treatments of the two diseases, the current paper will conclude on which of these two diseases is more dangerous than the other.
The patient in the case analyzed herein suffers from the Ulcerative disease which is among the most common forms of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). Also known as Ulcerative colitis, this is a disease of the large intestines (colon). In most cases, it is characterized by ulcers, a reference to open sores on the surface of the large intestines. The most common symptom of the disease is diarrhea, mostly mixed with blood, with a gradual onset (Danese & Fiocci, 2011). Depending on its severity, patients often complain of varied levels of abdominal pain. Available literature indicates that Ulcerative colitis has a prevalence rate of about 8 to 246 cases per 100,000 people. Although some experts have linked Ulcerative colitis to a genetic component, there is no known case that can justify their claim.
The Crohn’s disease is a form of inflammatory bowel disease which affects any part of the gastrointestinal tract. The Crohn’s disease has more pronounced symptoms that range from abdominal pain, fever, weight loss and diarrhea, which may contain traces of blood if the inflammation is severe (Cho & Brant, 2011). The Crohn’s disease causes bowel obstruction which increases the chances of patients developing bowel cancer. Recent research has concluded that the Crohn’s disease is directly linked to a genetic component and it has been observed that over 70 genes are associated with the disease. The Crohn’s disease has been said to be more prevalent in developed countries.
There is evidence that some medications can help in the treatment of the Ulcerative disease. In fact, there are drugs that have been developed that can effectively treat the Ulcerative disease. There have been cases where surgical removal of the large intestines has successfully helped in the treatment of the Ulcerative disease. The Crohn’s disease on the other hand has no known cure. In acute cases of the Crohn’s disease, antibiotics are used to prevent infections and reduce inflammation. In most cases where surgical operations have been used to treat the Crohn’s, there have been reported symptoms of the disease thereby suggesting re-occurrence.
Therefore, according to the explanations contained herein, the Crohn’s disease is more dangerous than the Ulcerative disease. In this regard, the patient in the case analyzed herein has a significantly higher chance of recovery from his Ulcerative disease than if he had the Crohn’s disease. To avoid any further complications in future, it is recommended that he changes his lifestyle. There is evidence indicating that smoking increases the prevalence of the Crohn’s disease while it hinders the prevalence of the Ulcerative disease. A healthy lifestyle and a change of diet can effectively help in reducing the chances of developing the two diseases.
References
Cho J., & Brant, R. (2011). Recent Insights into the Genetics of Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Gastroenterology 140 (6): 1704–12.
Danese, S., & Fiocci, C. (2011). Ulcerative colitis. The New England Journal of Medicine, 365:1713-1725.