Anxiety Flashcards
1
Q
What is anxiety
A
Syndrome of ongoing anxiety + worry about many events or thoughts that the pt generally recognises as excessive + inappropriate
2
Q
How common is it
A
- Life time prevalence ~5%
3
Q
Who gets it
A
- F>M
4
Q
What are causes
A
- Traumatic / life event
Medical: - heart disease, diabetes, hyperthyroidism, COPD, asthma, drug abuse/ withdrawal, chronic pain, IBS
- Side effect of medication
5
Q
What are the risk factors
A
- inherited trait
- Anxiety disorder as child
- Stress due to illness
- Other mental disorder
- Drugs or alcohol abuse or withdrawal
6
Q
How do does it present
A
- Excessive worrying + anxiety (more days than not for at least 6 months)
- Difficult to control worry
- Restlessness, feeling on edge, easily frustrated , easily fatigued, difficult concentrating, irritability, muscle tension + sleep disturbance
- Feelings suicide, social isolation
- Digestive + bowel problem
7
Q
What are the signs of anxiety
A
- Autonomic arousal symptoms –> palpitations/ pounding heart, ++ HR, sweating, trembling, shaing, dry mouth
- Depersonalisation - objects unreal or self not really there
- Exaggerated response to minor surprises or being startled
8
Q
What are some DDx
A
- Panic disorder
- Social phobia
- OCD
- Separation anxiety
- PSTD
- Phobias
- Stress
- Dementia
- Schizophrenia
- Alcoholism
- Physical illness,
- hypoglycaemia
9
Q
What investigations do you perform
A
- Becks anxiety inventory
- generalised health questionnaire
- Diagnostic criteria: ICD 10
10
Q
What treatment would you give
A
Psychotherapy = CBT
Pharmacological Tx - rapid response = sedative antihistamines e.g. Bzs
Anti-depressants
(can be used for longer than BZs)
SSRI or velanfazine (pregabalin used when SSRI not tolerated)
