Phil has chronic ulcers, he has been taking acid blockers and drinking vast amounts of liquid antacids. These help relieve the symptoms but he still suffers from ulcers. What would be the best course of action to treat the source of his ulcers?

Question

A.  Taking several different antacids.
B.  Increasing the dosage of acid blockers.
C.  Taking a course of antibiotics.
D.  Reducing the stress in his daily life.
E.  Changing his diet to include more fiber.

Clarify Question
· What is the key concept addressed by the question?
· What type of thinking is required?
 
Gather Content
· What do you already know about ulcers? How does it relate to the question?
· What other information is related to the question? Which information is most useful?
 
Choose Answer
· Given what you now know, what information and/or problem solving approach is most likely to produce the correct answer?

  Reflect on Process
· Did your problem-solving process lead you to the correct answer? If not, where did the process break down or lead you astray? How can you revise your approach to produce a more desirable result?
 

Answer 1

C.  Taking a course of antibiotics.

Clarify Question
· What is the key concept addressed by the question?
        o You are Phil’s doctor. You have been treating his ulcers with acid blockers (such as omeprazole) and liquid antacids, but these treatments don’t seem to be solving the underlying problem. What should you do to get the ulcers to go away?
· What type of thinking is required?
        o This question is an “apply” question, so it is asking you to use the information you already know about ulcers and apply it to this new situation.
 
Gather Content
· What do you already know about ulcers? How does it relate to the question?
        o Doctors used to think that ulcers were caused by stress or eating acidic foods. One researcher proposed that peptic ulcers were caused by a bacterial infection. He was completely ignored until, during a presentation at a conference, he drank a solution of the bacterium Heliobacter pylori, which gave him peptic ulcers.
· What other information is related to the question? Which information is most useful?
        o Which treatments has Phil taken so far? Why haven’t they worked?
 
Choose Answer
· Given what you now know, what information and/or problem solving approach is most likely to produce the correct answer?
        o Given that Phil’s ulcers may be caused by Heliobacter pylori, what would you propose as his next treatment?

  Reflect on Process
· Did your problem-solving process lead you to the correct answer? If not, where did the process break down or lead you astray? How can you revise your approach to produce a more desirable result?
        o This question asked you to figure out which treatment option would be most likely to treat the source of Phil’s ulcers.
        o If you got the correct answer, great job!
        o If you got an incorrect answer, where did you get stuck?
            · Phil has already been taking anacids and acid blockers. These treated his symptoms, but not the source of the problem. It is probably time to try something new.
            · Heliobacter pylori is a bacterium, which could be killed using antibiotics. If Phil’s ulcers are due to an infection, antibiotics would kill the bacteria and stop the ulcers.