General Hospital Psychiatry and Somatisation

Question 1

What is the importance of recognising psychiatric disorders in general hospital patients

Answer 1

Provide appropriate mental health treatment
Shorten length of treatment in hospital
Avoidance of unnecessary investigations/treatment
Enhance recovery and rehabilitation process
Improve quality of life

Question 2

What is liaison psychiatry?

Answer 2

Subspecialty of psychiatry that works with patients in general hospitals

Question 3

Why is there increased prevalence of psych disorders among general hospital?

Answer 3

Psychological (incl. treatment)
Effect of physical illness on brain functioning
Treatment of physical illness
Increased physical morbidity in patients with mental health problems
Functional (somatoform, dissociative…) disorders

Question 4

How do we perform a self-harm assessment?

Answer 4

Create safe environment for patient
Identify risk factors for further self-harm, completed suicide
Identify mental disorder and need for further psychiatric treatment
Identify psychosocial stressors and patient’s way of coping
Identify appropriate help, even in absence of mental disorder

Question 5

How might delirium tremens present?

Answer 5

Vivid hallucinations
Delusions
Confusion
Tremor
Agitation
Sleeplessness
Autonomic overactivity
Impaired consciousness

Question 6

How will delirium tremens affect eeg?

Answer 6

Fast