306 Dementia and delirium Flashcards
How does Alzheimer’s disease present clinically?
-Gradual onset of impaired memory, planning, and functional skills
How does frontotemporal dementia present clinically?
-Changes in personality and behaviour
-Difficulty with language
-Usually develops at a younger age
How does Lewy body dementia present clinically?
-Vivid hallucinations
-Parkinsonism
How does vascular dementia present clinically?
Presents like Alzheimer’s but the patient has more insight
What causes vascular dementia?
1 large stroke or multiple mini-infarcts
What diseases can cause dementia?
-Korsakoff’s (low thiamine)
-CJD (prion proteins)
-Huntington’s
-Folate/B12 deficiency/ Hypothyroidism
What are some conditions that may clinically look like dementia?
V. vascular, vitamin deficiency (B1, B6, B12, Folate)
A. Alzheimer’s disease, autoimmune (cerebral vasculitis, lupus)
N. normal pressure hydrocephalus, neoplasia
I. Infection (CJD, herpes encephalitis, prion disease, tertiary syphilis, HIV/AIDS)
S. substance abuse, serum abnormalities
H. hormones, hypothyroidism, hyperparathyroidism
E. Electrolyte imbalance
D. depression (pseudodementia)
What are some tests for delirium?
SQID (single question to identify delirium)
-Is the patient more confused than before?
CAM (confusion assessment method)
-A quiz anybody can use
4AT (arousal, attentions, abbreviated mental test)
-A quiz test for delirium
Why should you not do a urine dip on an elderly patient unless they show symptoms?
Because a lot of them have more bacteria in their tract naturally so it can give a false positive result
Why can’t Haloperidol be given to Lewy body dementia or Parkinson patients?
It causes the patient to freeze and so their level of mobility will permanently go down
What is the drug Flumazenil used to treat?
It reverses the sedative effects of benzodiazepines (works as an antidote)
