Anorexia nervosa

For the symptom, see Anorexia
Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by a restriction of food intake that results in very low body mass. In many cases, a sufferer's body mass becomes so low that the body can no longer maintain a proper balance of blood and electrolyte chemistry, which often results in heart disease and cardiac arrest, along with other complications due to malnutrition. Cases of which low body mass is not present are referred to as Atypical Anorexia. Body dysmorphic disorder, a disease of which patients perceive themselves as obese even as their weight continues to fall, is often present as well.
AN is extremely difficult to treat, even in hospital settings. In addition to psychiatric involvement, the patient will often require a high-calorie diet, which those not actively seeking recovery are often apprehensive to. Complications during AN treatment include refeeding syndrome, a potentially fatal reaction due to sudden nourishment, fluid retention, bloating, and abdominal discomfort.
In Broken, Hal Connor represented a case where the disorder was seen in a male, going against the stereotypical idea of a person with AN.
== See also ==
* Bulimia (another eating disorder characterized by binge and purge eating)
Anorexia nervosa at Wikipedia
Anorexia nervosa at Mayo Clinic
Category:Psychiatry