ALS, motor neurone disease

Question 1

ALS stands for what?

Answer 1

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Question 2

what is the common MND?

Answer 2

ALS

Question 3

What is essentially happening in ALS?

Answer 3

Progressive death of motor neurones

Question 4

Is aetiology known?

Answer 4

no

Question 5

Why do muscles becomes weak in ALS?

Answer 5

motor neurone dyings

Question 6

Bulbar muscles weak.

Which symptoms does this cause?

Answer 6

aspiration pneumonia

Question 7

ALS pt is drooling,

which muscles are weak?

Answer 7

bulbar muscles

Question 8

Resp muscles weak.

Which complication does this cause?

Answer 8

resp failure

Question 9

ALS pt has foot drop and subsequent falls.

which muscle is weak?

Answer 9

weak tibialis anterior

Question 10

pt has fasciculations and painful muscle spasms.

what drug do you give?

Answer 10

baclofen

Question 11

Risk factors for ALS?

Answer 11

Male
Middle age onset
FHx

Question 12

which age group will most likely suffer from ALS?

Answer 12

middle age people

Question 13

which gender will most likely suffer from ALS?

Answer 13

males

Question 14

Which gene when mutated can cause ALS?

how many ALS cases are explained by this mutation

Answer 14

SOD1

5%

Question 15

Are there UMN signs, LMN signs or a mixture?

Explain why

Answer 15

mixture

motor neurones die from brain to spinal cord to muscle.

Question 16

what happens to muscle size in ALS

Answer 16

muscle atrophy

Question 17

ALS is a clinical diagnosis.

true or false?

Answer 17

true

Question 18

nerve conduction studies are sometimes normal on ALS patients.

true or false?

Answer 18

true

Question 19

ALS pt has nerve conduction study.

will sensory nerves be normal or abnormal?

Answer 19

normal

Question 20

ALS patient has EMG.

what does EMG stand for?

what will the result be?

Answer 20

Electromyography

will see fibrillation potentials (abnormal)

Question 21

pt has ALS

why might you do an MRI?

Answer 21

rule out SCC

Question 22

is there a cure for ALS?

Answer 22

no

Question 23

What is the typical prognosis for ALS?

Answer 23

bad, most dead within 3 years

Question 24

A person has aspiration pneumonia.

What can be installed to help with nutrition?

Answer 24

PEG tube

Question 25

What two drugs can support ALS pts?

Answer 25

Riluzole

Baclofen

Question 26

class of baclofen?

Answer 26

antispasmodic

Question 27

moa for riluzole

Answer 27

stops glutamate damaging nerves

Question 28

ALS pt is having respiratory difficulties.

What device can they use?

Answer 28

BiPAP

Question 29

what does BiPAP stand for?

Answer 29

Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure