Can ulcerative colitis be fatal?

21 October 2018

Can ulcerative colitis be fatal?

By Medical News

Ulcerative colitis is a long-term disease of the large intestine or colon. While the condition itself is not fatal, it can cause life-threatening complications in rare instances.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). According to estimates, it may affect as many as 907,000 people in the United States.

In this article, we look at the potential complications of UC. We also cover the symptoms of each complication to help people with UC detect serious problems early and get urgent care where necessary.

Although UC is a lifelong condition, it is not usually life-threatening.

There is no cure for UC, but treatments can help prevent flare-ups, or episodes of symptoms, and allow people to achieve and maintain symptom-free periods called remission.

As a result of these treatments, people with UC and other forms of IBD tend to have survival rates that are similar to those of people without the disease.

However, UC can increase a person's risk of developing severe complications, especially if the disease does not respond to treatment.

Life-threatening complications

A person with UC may have a higher risk of the following health problems:

Toxic megacolon

Although it is rare, doctors consider toxic megacolon to be the most serious complication of IBD.

Toxic megacolon occurs when inflammation of the colon causes it to enlarge. This enlargement prevents the colon from contracting correctly, resulting in a buildup of gas.

As the colon swells with gas, it is increasingly likely to burst. If the colon bursts, it can release harmful bacteria and toxins into the bloodstream.

Symptoms

Symptoms of toxic megacolon include:

abdominal pain and swelling
frequent or bloody diarrhea
dehydration
rapid heart rate
fever

Without prompt treatment, toxic megacolon can cause the following life-threatening complications:

perforation of the colon, which is a hole or tear in it
bleeding and blood loss
sepsis
shock

Signs of shock include:

a weak pulse
clammy skin
dilated pupils
confusion
rapid or shallow breathing

Perforation of the colon

Long-term inflammation and ulcers in the colon can weaken the intestinal wall. Over time, these weaknesses may develop into a perforation.

A perforation can allow bacteria and other intestinal contents to leak out into the abdomen, causing a serious condition called peritonitis.

Peritonitis is the inflammation of the peritoneum, which is the lining of the abdomen. This condition may cause the abdomen to fill with fluid. It can also lead to blood poisoning and sepsis, which is a whole-body inflammatory response to infection.

One in three people who develop sepsis die from the condition.

Symptoms

It is vital to know the symptoms of a perforated colon to help prevent peritonitis and sepsis. According to the Sepsis Alliance, these may include:

severe stomach pain
nausea
vomiting
chills
fever

A perforated colon is a medical emergency that usually requires surgery to repair the hole in the intestines.

People who experience sepsis also require urgent treatment with antibiotics and fluids.

Blood clots

Numerous studies have shown that people with IBD have an increased risk of blood clot formation, or thrombosis.

When a blood clot blocks a vein in a limb, this is called deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Sometimes, part of the clot can break away and travel to the lungs, which is a potentially fatal complication called a pulmonary embolism.

According to a recent study, people with IBD have a risk of thrombosis that is up to 3 times higher than that of a person who does not have IBD.

Doctors do not know exactly why IBD increases the risk of these blood clots. However, chronic inflammation may trigger a chemical reaction that thickens the blood, increasing the likelihood of clots forming.

According to a 2015 review, the following factors may also increase the risk of blood clots in people with IBD: