Child + Geriatric Psychiatry Flashcards
what is pseudodementia?
apparent decline in cognitive and memory function caused by symptoms of major depression
∆ btwn dementia and pseudodementia in terms of
- onset
- sundowning
- how they answer when they don’t know an answer
- insight to problem
- cognitive improvement with antidepressants
DEMENTIA
- onset: insidious, slow
- sundowning: +
- how they answer: confabulate/guess at answers
- insight to problem: unaware
- cognitive improvement with antidepressants: no
PSEUDODEMENTIA
- onset: more acute
- sundowning: -
- how they answer: “i dont know”
- insight to problem: aware
- cognitive improvement with antidepressants: yes
treatment of pseudodementia
antidepressants: SSRI (preferred over MAOi and TCAs)
supportive psychotherapy
community resources
If using TCAs in the elderly, which one should you use and why?
nortriptyline - fewest anticholinergic effects
“no trip”
benefit of using mirtazapine in the elderly with pseudodementia
increases appetite and is also sedating - best for patients who suffer from decreased appetite and sleep ∆s
benefits of using methylphenidate in elderly with pseudodementia
used to treat patients with psychomotor retardation
5 stages of grief
denial anger bargaining depression acceptance
What is bereavement?
Normal grief - encompasses intense feelings of guilt and sadness, sleep ∆s, appetite changes, illusions; usually abate within 6 months of the loss
what is complicated bereavement?
bereavement that lasts >6 months
what is bereavement associated depression? how is it different from complicated bereavement?
bereavement associated depression = major depression; has generalized feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, severe guilt/worthlessness and SI
complicated bereavement = bereavement that lasts >6 months
When should you treat bereavement associated depression?
when patients have had 2 straight weeks of depressive symptoms 6-8 weeks after the precipitating loss
What are some age-related effects of the body’s response to alcohol?
1) decreased OH dehydrogenase - higher blood alcohol levels (BALs)
2) increased CNS sensitivity to EtOH
most common psychiatric disorder in the elderly:
MDD
result of concurrent EtOH use and H2 blockers
higher BALs
result of concurrent EtOH use and benzodiazepines, TCAs, narcotics, barbiturates, anti-histamines
increased sedation
result of concurrent EtOH use and NSAIDs/Aspirin
prolonged bleeding time, irritation of gastric lining
result of concurrent EtOH use and metronidazole, sulfonamides, long-acting hypoglycemics
N, V
result of concurrent EtOH use and reserpine, NTG, hydralazine
increased risk of hypotension
result of concurrent EtOH use and acetaminophen, isoniazid, phenylbutazone
hepatotoxicity
result of concurrent EtOH use and anti-HTN, anti-diabetics, ulcer Rx, gout Rx
worsens underlying disease
visual hallucinations early in dementia suggests a diagnosis of:
What should you do in this case?
lewy body dementia
DO NOT GIVE ANTIPSYCHOTICS
main 3 psychiatric manifestation of dementia
behavioral disinhibition, agitation, aggression
how to treat sleep disturbances in the elderly? 2
hydroxyzine (Vistaril) or trazodone - both are safer than benzodiazepines
why do most elderly suffer from more drug ADRs because of these 3 reasons
1) decreased lean body mass
2) impaired liver fxn
3) impaired kidney fxn
mental retardation/intellectual disability is coded on which axis?
axis II
how is mental retardation/intellectual disability diagnosed in DSM?
IQ score <70 + ∆s in adaptive skills (conceptual skills, social skills, and practical skills)
onset before 18 yo
which type of mental retardation is still functionally able to hold jobs? What IQ score corresponds to this?
mild mental retardation
IQ 55-70
what are the common causes of mental retardation?
idiopathic
down syndrome
fragile X syndrome most common inherited form
ToRCH infections
What is a learning disorder?
academic achievement (in reading, math, written language) that is significantly lower than expected for chronological age, level of education, and level of intelligence
(fyi - often due to ∆ cognitive processing)