PRE-CERTIFICATION COURSE - Medical Aspects of Eating Disorders-complications of bulimia nervosa


Thursday, March 21, 2013: 2:45 PM-4:30 PM
Baraka Ballrooom (Westin Lake Las Vegas Resort)
Handout Handout

Background: This portion of the Medical Aspects lecture will focus on four clinical cases involving bulimia nervosa. The patient will be discussed in terms of their diagnosis, lab results, presenting symptoms, clinical concerns and treatment.

yllabus for Medical Aspects Course

Test: A Guide to Medical Care and Complications 

          Eating Disorders. Philip S. Mehler M.D., and Arnold Anderson M.D.

Bulimia-Medical Issues

I.Purging by vomiting

   a. Risk Factors

   b. Identification and evaluation

         1.Laboratory tests

         2.Physical exam 

   c. Goals of Treatment

         1. Nutritional Guidelines

         2. Special Needs and testing

   d. Criteria For Hospitalization

    e.Treating co-morbid conditions

II. Purging with laxatives

  • Risk Factors
  • Identification and evaluations
  • Laboratory tests
  • Physical exam
  • Goals of Treatment
  • Nutritional Guidelines
  • Special Needs and Testing
  • Criteria for Hospitalization
  • Treating Co-morbid condtions

III.  Adolescents and Bulimia

  • Risk Factors
  • Identification and Evaluations
  • Laboratory tests
  • Physical exam
  • Goals of Treatment
  • Nutritional Guidelines
  • Special Needs and Testing
  • Criteria for Hospitalization
  • Treating Co-morbid conditions

This talk will look at four different patients with various forms of bulimia nervosa. We will first look at presenting symptoms and discuss the differential diagnosis. The group will follow the patient through an evaluation of the laboratory values and what they indicate and then take each patient and develop treatment options which include in-patient and follow up care. The patients have medical complications caused by their eating disorder behaviors whether they are purging with vomiting, compulsive exercise or laxatives. Each patient presents their own issues in addition to their eating disorder. The participants will look at co-diagnosis and the choice of medications in the treatment of both their medical issues and psychiatric issues.

Primary Presenter:
Vicki Berkus, M.D., Ph.D, CEDS

Dr.Berkus is currently the medical director for Eating Disorders for CRC Health and is based at Sierra Tucson in Tucson, Arizona. She has returned to Sierra Tucson after ten years during which time she was in private practice and Director of the Eating Disorder Program at Fairwinds Treatment Center in Clearwater, Florida. Dr. Berkus has been with IAEDP for many years, serving as President, Secretary and chairman of the Education and Certification Committees. She has been a speaker for many conferences including NEDA, IAEDP, AED, ASBP and is the author of "10 Commitments to Mental Fitness".



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