Day 7 Practice Exam Questions

Question 1

“All children with a high temperature will have a febrile seizure” – explain why this is not correct, in relation to the pathophysiology

Answer 1

• Febrile seizure associated with high body temperature but not caused directly by high body temperature
• Causation is multifactorial
• Inflammatory mediators may (interleukin) be released during fever may cause neuron excitability resulting in seizures
• Increase in brain temperature results in an increase in cytokines but how this results in seizures is unknown

Question 2

List stroke risk factors

Answer 2

Age
Hypertension
Smoker - or exposed to tobacco
Overweight
Diabetes
Hypercholesterolemia
Heart disease (AF - 5x greater risk)
Family history
Sedentary lifestyle

Question 3

Describe a scenario of a simple focal seizure (Focal onset aware seizure)

Answer 3

The patient experiences a feeling of de ja vu and an unusual taste in the mouth as a result of a localised electrical discharge in the brain but they experience no loss of consciousness or awareness

Question 4

Describe a scenario of a status epilepticus

Answer 4

A patient has a widespread erratic electrical discharge across the brain. Consciousness is lost, the body goes stiff and the patient falls to the floor. They then demonstrate violent jerking of the limbs, bite the tongue and develop hypoxia. The seizure has been ongoing for 12 minutes with stopping

Question 5

Describe a scenario of a psychogenic Non-epileptic seizure

Answer 5

The patient is having an argument with their mum and falls to the ground, demonstrating violent jerking of the limbs and developing hypoxia. An ECG has been performed demonstrating no erratic electrical disorder during these seizures