ANOREXIA NERVOSA

Disorder characterized by refusal to

maintain a minimally normal body weight
because of a disturbance in perception of
the size or appearance of the body.

TYPES:

Restricting type – during the episode of

anorexia nervosa, the person doesn’t
regularly engage in binge eating or purging
behaviour
Binge eating/Purging type - the person
regularly engage in binge eating or purging
behaviour

Three Separate Features:

 self induced starvation to a significant

degree
 a relentless drive for thinness, a
morbid fear of fatness or both
 medical signs and symptoms resulting
from starvation

Clinical Manifestations and Assessment:

 BMI less than 17.5 or less than 85% of

DBW
  intense fear of gaining body weight or
becoming fat enough though underweight
 severely distorted body image
 refusal to acknowledge seriousness of
weight loss
 refusal to eat or else vomit food after
eating
 use of laxatives or diuretics and
extensive exercise to further lose
weight
 amenorrhea

Therapeutic Management:

 establish trust and effective

communication
 for therapy, oral foods are withheld and
total parenteral nutrition is initiated
 identification of emotional triggers
 self monitoring(awareness training)
 education about normal nutritional needs
 medications such as antidepressants
 follow-up after weight regain
 counselling

NURSING DIAGNOSES:
 imbalanced nutrition less than body
requirements
 risk for deficient fluid volume
 disturbed body image