Define Clinical Features and Medical Complications of Anorexia Nervosa?
Anorexia nervosa, as we have learnt above, is a disorder characterized by deliberate weight loss, induced and/or sustained by the patient. You will notice that the individuals suffering from anorexia nervosa have a typical and distinctive appearance. Their body appearance makes them look younger than their age. The clinical characteristics and the medical complications associated with this disorder are included herewith:
- The patients deny hunger, thinness or fatigue despite profound weight loss.
- They may be preoccupied with food and may take pleasure in cooking and serving meals for others.
- They generally have constipation and are intolerant to cold. Patients are hypothermic and often wear more clothing than is environmentally appropriate.
- In severe cases, the bones protrude through the skin, as there is hardly any body fat.
- The skin may be dry and scaly.
- Palms may be yellow because of carotenaemia (high level of yellow pigment carotene in blood).
- Body hair is increased. Frank hirsutism (excessive growth of coarse hair in women).
- Oedema may be present.
- Parotid glands may be enlarged.