3. depression Flashcards
what is TALT?
tired all the time
very common and has many different possible causes
examples of differential diagnosis of TALT
Depression
stress
Caffeine withdrawal
Chronic fatigue syndrome
Seasonal affective disorder
Bereavement
Dementia
Drug ADRs
anaemia,
cancer,
liver disease,
Hypothyroidsm
a patient presents with TALT, brittle nails, hair falling out, weight gain
possible diagnosis? and how would you test for it?
Hypothyroidsm
thyroid function test, looks at levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and thyroxine (T4) in the blood.
a patient presents with TALT
what are common tests you could carry out and why
FBC for anemia
U&E and creatinine tests for unsuspected renal disease
LFTs - Liver blood tests, Could suggest alcohol misuse
Urinalysis
screen for diabetes
Patient health questionnaire PHQ-9 for depression
list some risk factors for developing depression
Chronic comorbidities eg. chronic pain syndromes
Other mental health problems, such as schizophrenia
elderly
homelessness
Recent childbirth. (postnatal)
relationship breakdown
being LGBTQ+
list some examples of physiological symptoms and signs that a patient may present with if they have depression
continuous low mood or sadness
having low self-esteem
having no motivation
having suicidal thoughts or thoughts of harming yourself
feeling irritable and intolerant of others
list some examples of physical (biological) symptoms and signs that a patient may present with if they have depression
changes in appetite or weight
constipation
unexplained aches and pains
lack of energy
low sex drive (loss of libido)
changes to your menstrual cycle
disturbed sleep
what is an SSRI
SSRIs = Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors typically used to treat depression
what questions should you always ask at a consolation about depression
dont shy away from it
suicidal or self harm ideation
name a type of SSRI and its prescription for a middle aged women
fluoexetine
20mg per day
1 table tat same time every day
possible side effects of SSRIs
most common: headaches, dizziness, bowel problems (diorrhea, stomach pains) and nausea
more rare: drowsiness, gut bleeding
what is a side effect of SSRIs that young people (especially under 18s) are particularly vulnerable to and they need to be aware of?
suicidal ideation
Outline a range of non-pharmacological treatments for depression
most common: combination of self-help, talking therapies and medicines.
self help
exercise
CBT
counselling
antidepressants
mindfulness
social prescribing
why is the questionnaire used to diagnose depression?
PHQ9 Questionnaire
