Cramming Flashcards
What is oculogyric crisis?
Spasm of the extra orbital muscles, causing upwards and outwards deviation of the eyes
What is blepharospasm?
Sustained, forced, involuntary closing of the eyelids
What is toticollis?
Head held turned to one side
What is opisthotonus?
Painful forced extension of the neck, when severe, the back is involved and the patient arches off the bed
What is macroglossia?
The tongue does not swell, but it protrudes and feels swollen
What is buccolingual crisis?
May be accompanied by trismus (inability to normally open the mouth), risus sardonicus (highly characteristic, abnormal, sustained spasm of the facial muscles that appears to produce grinning), and dysarthria and grimacing
When starting a patient on lithium, what blood tests need to be performed first? (3)
- U&Es
- TFTs
- Calcium
…also take their weight, and do and ECG
What blood tests would you perform when doing a dementia screen? (3)
- B12
- Folate
- TFTs
What tests/investigations would you perform when starting someone on an anti psychotic? (6)
- ECG
- Weight
- Lipids
- HbA1c
- FBC
- Prolactin
What tests would you perform when starting someone on valproate? (4)
- LFTs
- Amylase
- FBC
- Pregnancy test
Early side effects of lithium? (7)
- Dry mouth
- Metallic taste
- Nausea
- Fine tremor
- Fatigue
- Polyuria
- Polydipsia
What are the late side effects of lithium? (chronic use)
- Diabetes
- Hypothyroidism
- Arrhythmias
- Ataxia
- Dysarthria
- Weight gain
What are the toxic symptoms fo lithium ..toxicity?
- Blurred vision
- Anorexia
- N&V
- Coarse tremor
- Confusion
- Renal failure
- Delirium
- Fits & coma
- Death
What is the management of lithium toxicity?
- Stop lithium
- Give fluids
- Start diuresis/dialysis
- Treat cause
When is disulfiram a useful drug?
When the person has stopped drinking already, and wants to maintain sobriety
