Central Nervous System Flashcards
Migraine symptoms
unilateral, pulsating, maybe NV, photophobia, phonophobia, aura (comes before headache)
Aura symptoms
- visual (zigzag, flickering, lights, spots, lines)
- sensory (pins&needles)
- dysphagia
Lifestyle advice for migraines
- maintain hydration
- sleep & exercise
- avoid chocolate and wine
- relax after stress
- headache diary for triggers
Migraine acute treatment
- aspirin, ibuprofen, 5HT1-receptor agonist (triptans, sumatriptan favourable)
- take as soon as you know migraine is developing
- with aura = triptan at start of headache
- repeat triptan after 2 hours (4 hours if naratriptan) if response to 1st dose
- triptans constrict vessels so avoid in CVD
- soluble paracetamol = faster acting, use if can’t use others
- antiemetics = metoclopramide or prochlorperazine
Migraine prophylaxis
- propranolol –> metoprolol or nadalol
- amitriptyline effective but sedating
- valproate, pizotifen, botox - specialist use
What is a cluster headache
intense unilateral pain in/around one eye
Acute treatment of cluster headache
- subcutaneous sumatriptan
- nasal suma/zolmi-triptan if unavailable
Prophylactic treatment of cluster headache
verapamil, lithium, prednisolone, ergotamine tartare (rare)
What is trigeminal neuralgia
- severe facial pain
- like electric shock in jaw, teeth or gums
Trigeminal neuralgia treatment
- carbamazepine
- send to A&E
What is a tension headache
bilateral throbbing pain like tight band around head
Tension headache treatment
paracetamol/ibuprofen
What is a subarachnoid hemorrhage
- sudden sharp pain at back of neck
- send to A&E
Parkinsons general treatment mechanism
increase dopamine to alleviate symptoms
Parkinsons motor effects treatment
levodopa + carbidopa/benserazide
Parkinsons - treatment for motor effects that don’t affect QoL
- levodopa + carbidopa/benserazide
- non-ergot derived dopamine receptor agonist (pramiprexole, ropinorole, rotigotine)
- MAOB inhibitors (rasagiline, selegline)
Parkinsons - treatment for dyskinesia/motor fluctuations
- non-ergot derived dopamine receptor agonist is (pramiprexole, ropinorole, rotigotine) OR MAOBi (rasagiline, selegiline)
- COMT inhibitor (entecapone, talcapone)
- ergot-derived dopamine receptor agonist (cabergoline, bromocriptine)
What is the MoA of carbidopa/benserazide
stops breakdown of levodopa
- administered together to reduce side effects of levodopa
Side effects of levodopa and carbidopa/benserazide
- impulse disorders - gambling, eating, sex
- sudden onset sleep - modafinil
- red urine
Non - ergot derived dopamine receptor agonists side effects
- pramiprexole, ropinorole, rotigotine
- impulse disorders - gambling, eating, sex
- sudden onset sleep - modafinil
- hypotension - midodrine
MAOB inhibitors side effects
- rasagiline, selegiline
- hypertensive crisis with phenylephedrine/pseudoephedrine, tyramine (cheese, salami, tofu, marmite, yeast)
COMT inhibitors side effects
- increase sympathetic side effects = increase in CVD
- tachycardia, fast breathing
- entecapone = red/brown urine
- talcapone = hepatotoxic
Ergot - derived dopamine receptor agonists side effects
- bromocriptine, cabergoline
- pulmonary reaction - SOB, chest pain, cough
- pericardial reaction - chest pain
Parkinsons medication key points
- don’t withdraw abruptly
- ‘off periods’ (meds wearing off) = MR preps
- nocturnal akinesia = 1. levodopa OR oral dopamine receptor agonists
2. rotigotine
Name the 4 types of dementia
- alzheimers
- vascular
- lewy body
- frontotemporal
Dementia general treatment
increase acetylcholine to alleviate symptoms
Mild to moderate dementia treatment
- acetylcholine esterase inhibitors - act on parasympathetic pathway
- Donepezil - ON, neuroleptic malignant syndrome
- Rivastigmine - GI effects (reduced in transdermal)
- galantamine - steven johnson syndrome
Moderate to severe dementia treatment
- memantine - NMDA receptor antagonists
Aggravation with dementia treatment
benzodiazepines or antipsychotics
Side effects of increased acetylcholine with acetylcholine esterase inhibitors
- parasympathetic side effects (rest & digest)
- DUMBBELS
- Diarrhoea
- Urinary incontinence
- Muscle weakness
- Bradycardia
- Bronchospasms
- Emesis
- Lacrimation
- Salivation
- stop tx, tx dehydration, amend dose if required and restart
Focal seizures treatment
- lamotrigine or levetiracetam
- carbamazepine, oxcarbazepine, zonisamide
Absence seizure alone treatment
- ethosuximide
- valproate (avoid in child bearing PPP)
Absence seizure + other seizure OR tonic-clonic treatment
- valproate
- Lamotrigine –> levetiracetam
Myoclonic seizure treatment
- valproate
- levetiracetam
All other seizures treatment
- valproate
- lamotrigine
Status epilepticus treatment
- seizures lasting linger than 5 minutes
1. IV lorazepam
1. buccal midazolam or rectal diazepam - community
2. 2nd dose after 5-10 mins
3. levetiracetam, phenytoin OR valproate
4. levetiracetam, phenytoin OR valproate - diff to 3.
5. phenobarbital OR general anaesthesia
Category 1 epilepsy meds (brand specific)
- carbamazepine
- phenytoin
- primidone
- phenobarbital
Category 2 epilepsy meds (brand specific recommended)
- lamotrigine
- valproate
- clobazam
- topiramate
- clonazepam
- oxcarbazepine
Category 3 epilepsy meds (no specific requirements)
- levetiracetam
- gabapentin
- pregabalin
- ethosuximide
Driving rules with epilepsy
- epileptic fit whilst driving = stop and tell DVLA
- 1st unprovoked/single isolated = banned for 6 months
- established epilepsy - 1 year fit free before driving again
- no driving for 6 months after last dose/change
- seizure due to change in meds = 1 year ban - reinstated after 6 months if meds resumed and no seizure
Pregnancy information with epilepsy
- folic acid = to reduce risk of NTD in 1s trimester
- vit K injection at birth = to reduce risk of neonatal haemorrhage
- most risk = valproate (PPP)
- topiramate = cleft palate
Breast feeding with epilepsy
- encouraged to breast feed
- if combo therapy/risk factors e.g. premature = specialist advice
- high presence in milk = primidone, ethosuximide, lamotrigine, zonisamide (PELZ)
- risk of drowsiness = primidone, phenobarbital, benzodiazepines
- withdrawal effects if mother suddenly stops breastfeeding = phenobarbital, primidone, benzodiazepines, lamotrigine
Epilepsy medications interactions
- hepatotoxicity - carbamazepine/phenytoin/valproate + amiodarone, itraconazole, macrolides, alcohol
- CYP inducers = carbamazepine, phenytoin, phenobarbital
- CYP inhibitors = valproate
- lowers seizure threshold = tramadol, theophylline, quinolones
- carbamazepine = hyponatraemia - SSRIs, diuretics
- phenytoin - antifolates = (MTX, trimethoprim) = blood dyscrasias
Carbamazepine, phenytoin and valproate side effects
- depression + suicide
- hepatotoxicity
- hypersensitivity
- blood dyscrasia
- vit D deficiency (bone pain)
Carbamazepine side effects
- hyponatraemia
- oedema
Phenytoin side effects
- coarsening appearance
- facial hair
Valproate side effects
- pancreatitis
- teratogenic (ensure PPP)
Which anti-epileptics may cause hypersensitivity reactions
- carbamazepine
- phenobarbital
- phenytoin
- primidone
- lamotrigine
Which anti-epileptics cause skin rash
- lamotrigine (steven johnson syndrome)
Which anti-epileptics cause blood dyscrasias
- carbamazepine
- valproate
- ethosuxamide
- topiramate
- phenytoin
- lamotrigine
- zonisamide
- C.VET.PLZ
Which anti-epileptics cause eye disorders
- vigabatrin (reduced visual field)
- topiramate (secondary glaucoma)
Which anti-epileptics cause encephalopathy
- vigabatrin
Which anti-epileptics cause respiratory depression
- gabapentin
- pregabalin
What is bipolar disorder
- fluctuation between manic and depression
Bipolar acute treatment
- benzodiazepines
- antipsychotics ( quetiapine, olanzapine, risperidone)(2nd gen)
- lithium or valproate
Bipolar prophylaxis treatment
carbamazepine, valproate or lithium
Lithium therapeutic range
- maintenance: 0.4 - 1 mmol/L
- acute: 0.8 - 1 mmol/L
- levels 12 hours after dose, weekly until stable, then 3 monthly for 1 year, then 6 monthly
Lithium toxicity symptoms
- Renal impairment
- EPS - tremors
- Visual disturbances - blurred vision
- Nervous system disorder - confusion and restlessness
- GI disorders - DV
- REVNG
Lithium side effects
- thyroid disorder
- nephrotoxicity
- rhabdomyolysis
- QT prolongation
- benign intercranial hypertension - vertigo, headache
- 1st trimester = teratogenic
Lithium interactions
- diuretics, SSRIs = hyponatraemia
- salt imbalance
- SSRIs, tramadol = serotonin syndrome
- antipsychotics, some anti-emetics = EPS
- macrolides, RLCCBs = QT prolongation
- really cleared drugs, NSAIDs = increased risk of toxicity
- reduced seizure threshold
- hypokalaemia
carbamazepine therapeutic range
4 - 12 mg/L
carbamazepine toxicity symptoms
- Hyponatraemia
- Ataxia
- Nystagmus
- Drowsiness
- Blurred vision
- Arrhythmias
- GI disturbances
- HANDBAG
Phenytoin therapeutic range
10 - 20 mg/L
Phenytoin toxicity symptoms
- Slurred speech
- Nystagmus
- Ataxia
- Confusion
- Hyperglycaemia
- Double vision
- SNACHD
1st generation antipsychotics
- Thioxanthenes
- Butyrophenones
- Group 1, 2, 3 phenothiazines
- Others = primazide, sulpride
Thioxanthenes information
- flupentixol, zuclopenthixol
- moderate sedation
- antimuscarinic effects
- EPS
Butyrophenones information
- benperidol, haloperidol
- moderate sedation
- high EPS
Group 1 phenothiazines information
- chlorpromazine, levomepromazine, promazine
- most sedation
- moderate antimuscarinic
- EPS
Group 2 phenothiazines information
- pericyazine
- moderate sedation
- least EPS