CCF II Exam I Flashcards
_______ describes a range of sensations such as feeling faint, woozy, weak or unsteady.
Dizziness
*vertigo, pre-syncope/syncope
______ describes a false sense that your or your surroundings are spinning or moving
Vertigo
_____ describes the feeling that one will faint/collapse or actually briefly fainting or collapsing with loss of consciousness
Syncope
More than 4/10 people will have an episode of dizziness that takes them to a healthcare provider. 40% of people over the age of 40 years old tend to be the most common.
What are the MC causes of Dizziness?
inner ear disease, migraine, Meniere disease
Dizziness: The following are common examples of?
- Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo
- Vestibular neuronitis
- Meniere disease
- Immune-mediated inner ear disease.
Peripheral vertigo
The most common causes of dizziness are inner ear disease, migraines and Meniere disease (often causing vertigo, and/or orthostatic hypotension).
What are the MC causes of Central Vertigo?
a. Vestibular migraine
b. Acoustic neuroma
c. Orthostatic hypotension
d. Vascular lesions of the brainstem/Cerebellum
All of the above
*demyelination
The most common causes of dizziness are inner ear disease, migraines and Meniere disease.
What are Factors associated with serious etiology:
> 60 years old, focal abnormalities, and imbalance.
A 24 year old patient presents with complaints of episodic vertigo, tinnitus and hearing loss. You suspect?
Meniere disease
- avg. age = onset 20-40 years old
- endolymphatic hydrops that distort and distend the membranous, and endolymph-containing portions of the labyrinthine system.
A female patient (MC women) presents to the clinic complaining of headache. She states it began with dizziness but progressed to migraine. Aura confirmed. She states episodes last up to 2 hours. Patient states she feels like the room is spinning during these episodes.
You suspect
Vestibular migraine
- internal or external motion (patient spins vs. room spins)
- minutes to hours
- fewer to several episodes/year
- triggers common to other migraine types (chocolate, OH, stress, lack of sleep)
NOTE: It may present as a typical migraine aura (i.e. start with dizziness, develop into migraine), or it may present with photophobia, phonophobia or aura without headache.
A 63 year old woman present with complaints of sudden onset of “rocks in her head” (otoconia). She states she has nausea and vomiting episodes. You note on PE involuntary eye movements (nystagmus).
The former describes what dizziness disorder?
Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo
- MC in women (>60 y/o inc. incidence)
- “Rocks in your head” otoconia
- Nystagmus (involuntary eye movements)
- Nausea/Vomiting
- Sudden onset
*Nystagmus: slow pursuit movement followed by fast resetting phase (named by direction of reset phase)
How do you Dx bening paroxysmal positional vertigo? How do you treat it?
Dix-Hallpike test
Tx:
- -1st line: canalith repositioning procedure (epley maneuver)
- -2nd line - surgery
Orthostatic Hypotension is an ANS dysfunction that is associated with abnormal vagus responses. It may be due to:
- Acute/Chronic volume depletion (heat illness, post-dialysis)
- Medication (B-blockers) adverse effects
How is it tested? What are complications?
Complications:
- -dizziness when standing
- -syncope, cerebrovascular accident, angina
Dx:
- -Tilt table test
- -Orthostatic Hypotension test (check b.p. standing, sitting)
Acoustic neuroma (a.k.a. vestibular Schwannoma) is commonly derived from _________ in the vestibular portion of CN 8. The MC symptom is unilateral hearing loss.
It constitutes 80% of the tumors found within the cerebellopontine angle.
Schwann cells
(a.k.a. vestibular Schwannoma)
- uncommon in kids (except Neurofibromatosis type 2)
- higher in Taiwanese, Asian Pacific islanders
- low in Hispanic/AA’s
How would you Dx and Tx Acoustic Neuroma?
Dx: Gadolinium contrast MRI is gold standard Tx: --surgical excision --sterotactic radiation therapy --serial observation
*view image in notes
Diagnosis of Dizziness depends on assessment. Indicate what tests should be performed if you suspect the following:
- Head trauma or concern for CNS etiology
- Pharyngitis
- Neck
- Cardiac
- Pulmonary
*also be sure to perform Fingerstick blood sugar and Hb and hematocrit tests
- Head trauma
- -CT, MRI - Pharyngitis
- -rapid strep - Neck
- -Cervical X-ray - Cardiac
- -ECG, Echo, Holtor monitor, US carotids - Pulmonary
- -Chest X-ray
Treatment of dizziness depends on the lead differential. What situations are considered emergent?
a. head trauma
b. sudden and severe onset
c. staggering or ataxic gait
d. severe hypoglycemia
All of the above
- head trauma (anti-coag meds) **CT immediately
- sudden/severe onset
- -staggering, vomiting, double vision, slurred speech, numbness of face/body,
- hypoglycemia (FSBS <30)
There are 7 characteristics that were independently associated with dizziness on a multi-variate analysis. Which of the following is not one?
a. anxiety trait
b. depressive symptoms
c. past MI
d. Recovery from flu
Answer: D
also:
- polypharmacy (>5 meds)
- impaired hearing
- postural hypotension (mean dec. in blood pressure >20%)
- impaired balance (path deviation and time to turn circle > 4 sec)
True/False: Medical communication can be cost effective, help increase patient safety/decrease medical errors and enables all stakeholders to share the same frame of reference.
True
_____ describes the practice of alternating between two or more languages or varieties of language in conversation. It is also referred to as “language contact phenomena”, or as boundary levelling/maintaining and verbal strategy.
The ultimate goal is shared frame of reference.
Codeswitching
*differentiates roles - student/attending formal setting vs. non-formal settings
A distinguishing feature of codeswitching that is characterized by the idea that the more you talk to someone in your vernacular and the closer your relationship, the more likely they are to accept your language and vice versa.
Language transfer
For the History and Physical, full reimbursement from Medicare/Medicaid requires complete ROS and PE. How many ROS’s are required? How many organ systems need to be assessed?
ROS - 10 systems
*9 organ systems with at least 2 parts noted: eyes pupillary reflex and sclera
True/False: SOAP notes and consult notes should be concise and tailored to the complaint or consultation.
For example, for surgery, incision site and drains with fluid collected may be included. For cardiac, full cardio exam (auscultate, pulses, capillary refill, PMI).
True
The 5 basic qualities of effective oral presentations are based on SOAPS:
- ___: ID’s : ID’s and describes the complaint concisely (OPQRSTA)
- ____ facts located where the listener expects (subjective vs. objective)
- ____: makes case for assessment plan
- _____: only relevant info to assessment plan
- _____: fluent, volume, professional language, and avoids judgement
- Story
- Organization
- Argument
- Pertinence
- Speech
A summary statement should be included in the Assessment of your SOAP note along with ___ differentials associated to chief complain. You must explain the reasoning for your top choice
3 differentials
True/False: The Plan portion of the SOAP note should include Diagnostic/Therapeutic/Education as well as disposition (admit, outpatient) and follow up
True
Your role as a physician includes that of educator. It is important to remember that the baseline is 3rd grade level, and thus, medical jargon should be used minimally.
Which of the following must be used/considered when interacting with patients?
a. use example (heart is a pump…)
b. utilize teach back (patient explains what you’ve said)
c. empathy
d. admit when there are unknown variables/diagnosis (will work to find out the answer
All of the above
*refer to specialists if needed
Meningitis: Which of the following populations are burden most with meningitis in N. meningitidis?
Newborns (6-8 months)
*Tx: all who have direct contact with CSF
Meningitis: N. meningitis is most often seen in children, adults and elderly.
What are high risk populations? Who have higher risks of disseminated disease?
High risk: college, military, close quarters
Dissemination: Complement deficiencies
*meningococcemia = may occur alone/conjunction with this meningitis
Meningitis: Which of the following virulence factors distinguishes Listeria from Strep agalactiaie the likely cause of meningitis
- *causative organism has a capsule; L monocytogenes does not.
- grows well on blood and chocolate agars after 24 hrs.
- no growth on McConkey
Meningitis: Distinguish b/t the virulence of:
- Strep Agalactiae
- E. coli
- L. monocytogenes
- Strep
- -capsule - E. coli
- -capsule - L. monocytogenes
- -facultative intracellular pathogen
- -LLO (phagolysosome escape)
- -ActA (cell to cell spread)
Abdomen: Which of the following is a common pathology indicated by symptoms in the umbilical region?
a. pancreatitis
b. early appendicitis
c. stomach ulcer
d. inflammatory bowel
all of the above
*small bowel, umbilical hernia
Abdomen: Courvoiser’s sign and yellow tone of the skin is most likely indicative of
distended gallbladder
*pancreatic head cancer obstructing duct (see slide)
Abdomen: You perform a shifting dullness test. You expect to hear tympani to percussion until you reach the level of water. When the patient lies on their side, there is a shift in dullness to percussion towards the umbilicus.
This is a confirmatory percussive test for
abdominal ascites
Abdomen: Grading for splenomegaly occurs from 1-5 with 5 being an enlarged spleen. The following describes the grades:
- _____: spleen palpable ONLY on deep inspiration
- ____: spleen palpable on mid-clavicular line
- _____: spleen expands towards umbilicus
- _____: spleen goes past umbilicus
- ______: the spleen expands toward the pubic symphisis
Grade 1-5 respectively
Abdomen: Which of the following is an indication for an NG tube?
a. when you need to know the contents of the stomach
b. when you need to decompress (suck out the stomach)
c. when you need to put something into the stomach
All of the above
*suck out - intractable vomiting due to retained gastric material or pyloric obstruction; backflow of bile
Abdomen: What are absolute contraindications to NG tube?
a. maxillofacial skull trauma
b. actively seizing patient
c. blood transfusion
d. poisoning with corrosive agent (acid, alkali, hydrocarbons, petroleum)
A, B, D
Abdomen: How can you confirm NG tube is placed in the correct area?
- patient can talk normally after placement
- CXR (tip in stomach below diaphragm
- auscultation and inject air into tube
- aspiration of gastric contents from the tube (acid pH)
**perform at least two
Abdomen: The following are indications for what procedure?
- determine the cause of ascites
- detect the presence of pathologic cells (cancer, infection, bacteria)
- therapeutic removal of fluid (pronounced distension or respiratory distress associated with distension)
- To determine if intra-abdominal bleeding is present, or a viscus has ruptured
- Diagnose acute hemorrhagic pancreatitis
Paracentesis
- ***detect presence of pathologic cells
- also as an alternative to diuretic therapy
Abdomen: Contraindications for paracentesis primarily are if you are unsure of the cause (i.e. abdominal distension is due to peritoneal fluid, intestinal distension or presence of a cystic structure). What is important to consider before performing paracentesis?
Don’t tap it until you map it!
*US 1st – look for big black space (fluid)
Abdomen: True/False - Coagulopathy and Thrombocytopenia are NOT absolute contraindications to diagnostic paracentesis, but should be considered if performing large volume paracentesis
True
*concern for bleeding risk (INR > 2.5, platelets <40,000) = fresh frozen plasma and platelets may be needed
Abdomen: A patient presents with sudden severe pain in the abdomen with history of slow worsening. Nothing relieves the pain except farting. Moving makes it worse. Pain is a cramp-like ache with sharp bursts. On PE you note pain upon the release of pressure from the abdomen. Abdomen is rigid/hard and not fully palpable. Patient guards (contract muscles during palpation).
On auscultation you note quiet bowel. You suspect
Acute abdomen
Abdomen: A patient presents with sudden severe pain in the abdomen with history of slow worsening. Nothing relieves the pain except farting. Moving makes it worse. Pain is a cramp-like ache with sharp bursts. Patient states it is “The worst pain he has ever had.”
On PE you note pain upon the release of pressure from the abdomen. Abdomen is rigid/hard and not fully palpable. Patient guards (contract muscles during palpation). On auscultation you note quiet bowel in all 4 quadrants. You suspect
Acute abdomen
- admission and send directly to surgery
- urgent surgical laparotomy
Abdomen: What are 4 indications to proceed with high volume paracentesis?
- suspect infection
- difficulty breathing
- abdominal pain
- umbilical herniation
- rapid accumulation
*avoid inserting needle into vein
Abdomen: A patient with (+) Rovsing’s sign most likely has
Appendicitis
Abdomen: What physical diagnostic test would you perform to determine if abdominal distension is secondary to fat accumulation or ascites
Fluid wave/shifting dullness
Ultrasound
Abdomen: Stair stepping fluid levels on X-ray indicates
Small bowel obstruction