When the diarrhoea lasts for more than 14 days it is called?

Appeared in: Tripura CHO - 2021

Explanation

Persistent diarrhea is clinically defined as a diarrheal episode that starts acutely but continues for 14 days or longer.
The primary risks associated with persistent diarrhea are malnutrition and serious non-intestinal infections.
This classification is based purely on the duration of the illness, distinguishing it from acute forms of diarrhea.

Option A: Dysentery is defined by the presence of visible blood in the stool, which indicates intestinal mucosal damage. Its definition is based on the characteristic of the stool, not the duration of the illness.
Option B: Acute watery diarrhea is characterized by a duration of less than 14 days. The question specifies a duration longer than this.
Option D: This option is incorrect because 'Dysentery' and 'Acute watery diarrhoea' do not fit the definition of diarrhea lasting more than 14 days.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Classification of diarrhea based on duration as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Correctly classifying diarrhea by duration is a critical first step for nurses in determining the appropriate plan of care, including hydration, nutrition, and potential need for further investigation.
Persistent diarrhea often requires investigation into underlying causes such as malnutrition, secondary infections, or immunosuppression, which is a key nursing assessment.
What if? If the diarrhea lasted for 10 days, it would be classified as 'Acute watery diarrhea'. The management would primarily focus on preventing dehydration with Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) and continuing feeding, with less immediate concern for investigating chronic underlying causes.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key information in the question stem, which is the duration: 'more than 14 days'.
This is a factual recall question that tests your knowledge of medical terminology and disease classification.
Evaluate each option based on its clinical definition.
Recall that 'acute' conditions are short-term (less than 14 days), which eliminates 'Acute watery diarrhoea'.
Recall that 'dysentery' is defined by the presence of blood, not duration.
This leaves 'Persistent diarrhoea' as the only term specifically defined by a duration of 14 days or more.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Ghai Essential Pediatrics(pp 26-904 of 913) p. 797-799

E6 Parks TextBook of Preventive & Social Medicine part 1 — Subpart B (pp 202-403 of 604) p. 76-78

Practise the full Tripura CHO - 2021

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.