Altered Mental Status Flashcards
Like all other patients in the emergency department, those with altered mental status should initially be evaluated using the ______________.
ABCDE approach
In addition to GCS and AVPU, there are two other tests that are important to include in the disability section of the primary survey: ______________.
check for asymmetric weakness (stroke) and weakness below a certain level (spinal cord injury)
What is Todd’s paralysis?
Localized paralysis following a seizure
Go through VITAMIN CE.
Vascular Infectious Toxic/drug-induced Autoimmune Metabolic/mental Inflammatory Neoplastic Congenital Endocrine
List the AEIOU TIPS mnemonic for AMS.
Alcohol Epilepsy, encephalopathy, electrolytes Insulin Opiates Uremia Trauma, temperature Infection Poisons, psych Shock, stroke
Considering delirium, dementia, and psychosis, abnormal physical exam is most characteristic of _____________.
delirium
Considering delirium, dementia, and psychosis, rapid onset is most characteristic of _____________.
delirium
Considering delirium, dementia, and psychosis, progressive prognosis is most characteristic of _____________.
dementia
Many times the history for AMS has to be taken from _______________.
family members, caregivers, or others with daily contact with the patient
In any patient with AMS, you need to rule out _____________.
medical causes (e.g., renal failure, paraneoplastic syndrome)
Isolated lesions to the ______________ can cause decreased arousal.
brainstem
How should vasogenic edema from CNS metastases be treated?
Glucocorticoids
In an extremities note, what does “e/c/c” mean?
Erythema, clubbing, cyanosis
What does SILT mean in a neuro exam?
Sensation intact to light touch
What does the acronym UTO mean?
Unable to obtain
What does MAE mean?
Moving all extremities
Ketones in the urine can arise from ________________.
dehydration
Lactulose can be taken ______________.
orally as an outpatient
What will a CBC show in a patient with hepatic encephalopathy?
Thrombocytopenia (often from alcohol as a bone marrow suppressant)
What does w/r/r mean in a respiratory PE note?
Wheezes, rales, rhonchi
Meningismus is ______________.
stiffness of the neck
D50 is _____________, so you need to make sure the IV is working.
tissue necrotic
Neurogenic shock implies injury to ___________________.
the spinal cord
