A patient with ulcerative colitis has bloody diarrhoea more than six times a day, fever and tachycardia. What is the first-line treatment of severe flare?
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: A. Intravenous corticosteroids
- Step 1: Severe acute colitis needs admission and intravenous steroids.
- Step 2: Antidiarrhoeals risk toxic megacolon.
Answer
Intravenous corticosteroids.
Why not the others: 'Oral antidiarrhoeals' can precipitate toxic megacolon; 'Oral laxatives' are harmful; 'Immediate discharge with mesalazine' is insufficient.
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