A Deeper Dive into Unexplained Abdominal Pain: Facilitating the Diagnosis and Management of Acute Hepatic Porphyria in the Gastroenterology Setting

Target Audience
This initiative is intended for gastroenterologists, physicians, nurses, physician assistants and other healthcare professionals assessing patients in the gastroenterology setting.

Program Overview
Acute hepatic porphyria (AHP) is a group of rare inherited diseases with variable, non-specific, and dynamic symptoms and associated with an average diagnostic delay of 15 years. During that time, patients experience hallucinations, dreadful pain, seizures, and frequent hospitalizations. This activity will educate gastroenterologists and other healthcare providers on the hallmark signs of AHP, strategies for differential diagnosis, and current management options for improving patient outcomes.

Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this activity, participants should be better able to:

Explain the etiology and pathophysiology of severe abdominal pain related to AHP E
Identify signs and symptoms suggestive of AHP among individuals presenting with severe abdominal pain
Define strategies to differentially diagnose AHP from other gastrointestinal (GI) and non-GI conditions
Assess treatment and management options for AHP, including disease-specific therapies
Propose interdisciplinary strategies to individualize clinical management of AHP in the gastroenterology setting