Anxiety disorders Flashcards

1
Q

Anxiety is a normal reaction, normal emotion that people experience. True or false?

A

True

- but it is important to identify when it becomes pathological

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What are the 3 groups of symptoms we assess in anxiety (normal) ?

A

Biological (physical) symptoms
Cognitive symptoms
Behavioural symptoms

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Normal anxiety - physical symptoms

A
Sweating 
Cold chills 
Trembling / shaking 
Muscle tension / aches 
Numbness / tingling 
Feeling dizzy / unsteady / faint 
Dry mouth 
Difficulty swallowing 
Sensation of a lump in throat
Difficulty breathing 
Palpitations
Chest pain 
Nausea
Abdominal distress
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Normal anxiety - cognitive symptoms

A
Fear of losing control 
Feeling on edge / tense
Difficulty concentrating 
Feeling that objects are un-real (derealisation)
Feeling that you are distant or "not really here" (depersonalisation) 
Hyper-vigilance 
Racing thoughts 
Meta worry
Health anxiety
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Normal anxiety - behavioural symptoms

A
Avoidance of certain situations
Exaggerated response to minor surprises 
Difficulty in getting to sleep
Excessive use of alcohol/drugs
Restlessnesss
Irritability
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Acute stress leads to increase in ____ and ____

A

Cortisol and cateholamines

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What is the function of cortisol in the stress response?

A

Acts as to mediate and shut down the stress response

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

In acute stress, cortisol levels are INCREASED/DECREASED?

A

Increased

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

When does normal anxiety become an anxiety disorder?

A

When anxiety becomes pathological and impairs day to day function.

Anxiety is more extreme than normal.

Anxiety is present in situations that are not normally anxiety provoking

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Amygdala centred circuit is involved with FEAR/WORRY?

A

Fear

- panic, phobias

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Name 4 anxiety disorders

A

Generalised anxiety disorder
Panic disorder
Phobias
OCD

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Patient with anxiety that is not restricted to any particular environmental circumstance and is present most of the time. What is the likely diagnosis?

A

Generalised anxiety disorder

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Generalised anxiety disorder - definition

A

Generalised and persistent anxiety
Not restricted or fixed on one particular thing
Present all/most of the time

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Generalised anxiety disorder - cause

A

Unknown

Not due to substance misuse or any other medical condition

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Generalised anxiety disorder - typical age of onset?

A

between 20-40

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Generalised anxiety disorder is more common in which sex?

A

Females

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Generalised anxiety disorder - clinical features

A
Earlier discussed +
Persistent nervousness 
Fears (e.g. that family member will have a RTA) 
Sleep disturbance 
- restless unsatisfied sleep
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

In GAD, the patient often acknowledges that they don’t need to be anxious about all of these things but they can’t help it. True or false?

A

True

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Generalised anxiety disorder - diagnosis

A

Must be severe enough to be:

  • long lasting (most days for at least 6 months)
  • non controllable
  • causing significant distress
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Generalised anxiety disorder - management

A
  1. High intensity CBT OR Drug treatment (SSRI)
  2. SNRI
  3. Pregablin
  4. Combo of CBT + drug
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Generalised anxiety disorder - for how many months do you continue treatment for?

A

18 months

22
Q

Panic disorder - definition

A

Recurrent attacks of severe anxiety
There is a reason/trigger for anxiety
Intermittent
Unpredictable

23
Q

Panic disorder is intermittent. True or false?

A

True

24
Q

Panic disorder - age of onset

A

Adolesence - mid 30s

25
Q

Panic disorder can be triggered in some people by causing a build up of which substance?

A

Lactate

26
Q

Panic disorder - which imaging investigation may be useful?

A

PET scan

27
Q

Panic disorder - management

A
  1. CBT
  2. Anti-depressant (SSRI)
  3. TCA
28
Q

Panic disorder - how long do you continue treatment for?

A

6 months

29
Q

Phobia - definition

A

Irrational fear of something that is relatively quite normal
Fear in a particular situation that is excessive or unreasonable

30
Q

What are the 3 types of phobia?

A

Agoraphobia
Social phobia
Specific phobia

31
Q

Fear of leaving home, entering shops, crowds and other public places is called?

A

Agoraphobia

32
Q

Agoraphobia - who gets it?

A

Adolescence -> 30s

33
Q

Agoraphobia is more often a PRIMARY/SECONDARY disorder?

A

Secondary

34
Q

Agoraphobia - clinical features

A

Avoidance of the phobic situation

35
Q

Specific phobia - definition

A

Cued by the presence or anticipation of a specific object or situation
- e.g. fear of flying

36
Q

Specific phobia - who gets it?

A

Early onset

- early adolescence -> 20s

37
Q

Specific phobia - clinical features

A

Exposure to the phobic stimulus provokes an immediate anxiety response.
Normal functioning is impaired by the avoidance, anxious anticipation or distress in the feared situations

38
Q

Social phobia - definition

A

Persistent fear of social scrutiny

Fear of embarrassing themselves in public

39
Q

Social phobia usually occurs in large social settings. True or false?

A

False

- small social settings

40
Q

Social phobia - clinical features

A

Exposure to feared situation provokes anxiety, which may take the form of a situationally bound panic attack
Poor school/employment history

41
Q

OCD - definition

A

Recurrent obsessional thoughts and/or compulsive acts

42
Q

OCD - more likely to occur earlier in males/females?

A

Males

43
Q

OCD - obsessional thoughts

A

Ideas, images or impulses entering the mind
Recognised as the patients own thoughts
But they are unpleasant

eg a woman that is distressed about harming her children

44
Q

OCD - compulsive acts

A

Repeated rituals

Recognised as pointless

45
Q

OCD - common obsessions

A
Contamination 
Sexual thoughts (being a paedophile)
Fear of harm (door locks are not safe)
46
Q

OCD - common compulsions

A

Cleaning, washing
Repeating acts
Order
Hoarding

47
Q

OCD - obsessions must always be the individuals own thoughts. true or false?

A

True

48
Q

OCD - Obsessional symptoms / compulsive acts must be present most days for at least _____ before a diagnosis can be made

A

2 weeks

49
Q

OCD - management

A
  1. CBT
  2. SSRI
  3. SSRI + CBT
  4. TCA
50
Q

Which drugs are used to treat anxiety

A
Benzodiazepines
Anti-depressants 
Buspirone 
Pregablin 
Beta blocker
51
Q

Which beta blocker is used to treat anxiety?

A

Propranolol