General Medicine Flashcards
Causes of hepatitis? (VADAM)
Viral - CMV/EBV/Hepatitis
Alcohol
Drugs - Paracetamol, Phenytoin, Sulfonamides
Autoimmune hepatitis
Metabolic
Main electrolytes intracellularly?
Magnesium, Calcium and Potassium
Main electrolytes extracellularly?
Sodium and Chloride
Plasma level to be defined as hyperkalaemia?
> 5.5mmol/L
Causes of Hyperkalaemia?
Impaired kidney excretion
- AKI/CKD
- Drugs (ACEI, Spironolactone)
- Hypoaldosteronism
- Addison’s
Release from cells
- Tumour-lysis syndrome
- Rhabdomyolysis
- Lactic acidosis
- Massive haemolysis
- DIgoxin
- B Blockers
- Insulin deficiency
DREAD
- Drugs (ACEI, Spironolactone)
- Renal failure
- Endocrine (addisons)
- Artefact
- DKA
Hyperkalaemia presentation? (ECG findings)
Palpitations or chest pain.
ECG changes:
1. Tall T waves
2. Flattened p waves
3. Prolonged PR
4. Widened QRS
5. idioventricular rhythms
6. Sine waves
7. VF/Asystole
Hyperkalaemia management?
ABCDE
Immediate ECG (any change then treat)
Treatment:
1. Protect heart
2. Lower serum K+
3. Waste body K+
4. Prevent future reoccurence
- Clacium Gluconate - 10ml 10% in 10mins
- Lower serum:
- Insulin w/ Dextrose: 10-15units in 50ml@50%.
- Nebulised salbutamol - Waste:
- Furosemide (Dialysis if no GFR)
- Calcium resonium (bad compliance) - Prevent
- Monitor & repeat ECG
- Low K+ diet
- Treat cause
Serum level of potassium in hypokalaemia?
<3.5mmol/L
Calcium Gluconate dose in hyperkalaemia?
10 ml of 10% in 10 min
Presentation of hypokalaemia?
Lethargy and weakness
Muscle cramps
Palpitations
Causes of hypokalaemia?
Poor intake:
- Anorexia Nervosa
- Crohns
Increased gut loss:
- Vomiting (Loss of H+ ions and alkalosis offset by bicarb excretion in the kidneys forces K+ excretion)
- Diarrhoea (loss of bicarb)
Redistribution (into cell)
- Insulin OD
- Salbutamol
- Theophylline
Renal losses
- Furosemide
- Renal tubular acidosis
- Genetic renal pathologies
Endocrine (hyperaldosteronism)
- Primary: Conns syndrome
- Secondary: Kidney, renal, heart
Other:
- Hypomagnesaemia (can’t replace K+ without.)
Management of Hypokalaemia?
- ECG (flat t waves, U waves)
- Mild:
- Oral Sando K for 3 days - Severe:
- IV 20-40mmol KCl in N saline over 6 hrs (no faster than 20mmol/hr)
- Never as a bolus
What electrolyte disturbance is small cell lung cancer associated with?
SIADH (hyponatraemia)
Serum sodium in hyponatraemia?
<133 mmol/L (life threatening <120mmol/L)
Hyponatraemia presentation?
Hallucinations
Headache
Dizziness
N&V
If more serious: fits, coma, death
Causes of hyponatraemia?
Have to consider hyponatraemia in relation to fluid status:
Hypovolaemic:
- Dehydration (Excess sweating, burns, fistulas)
- D&V
- Diuretic excess (Addison’s, osmotic diuresis)
Euvolaemic
- SIADH
- Hypothyroidism
Hypervolaemic:
- HF, Kidney Failure, Liver failure
- Nephrotic syndrome
Small cell Lung Ca.
DRugs
- SSRIs, TCAs, Antipsychotics, Antiepileptics, omeprazole
SIADH causes?
Hypoxia
- Respiratory failure
- COPD
- Pneumonia
- Small cell ung ca.
CNS diseases
- Meningitis
- Stroke
- SAH
- Trauma
- Tumour
Hyponatraemia management?
- Assess fluid status
- Do Bloods
- U&Es
- 8am Cortisol
- TFT
- Serum osmolality - Urine tests
- Dip
- Osmolality (w/ serum)
- Sodium (off diuretics, if >40mmol/L then SIADH)
If Hypovolaemic:
- Treat cause
- Rehydrate w/ N saline
If Euvolaemic
- Treat cause
- If SIADH :
1. stop precipitating drug
2. fluid restrict
3. Tolvaptan
4. Furosemide
If hypervolaemic:
- Treat cause
- Fluid restrict
Serum level of sodium in hypernatraemia?
> 145mmol/L
Presentation of hypernatraemia?
Headache, Nausea and Vomiting, Seizures, Confusion.
Causes of hypernatraemia?
Excess loss (fluid):
- Diabetes insipidus**
- Osmotic Diuresis** e.g. DKA, HHS
- Diarrhoea
- Vomiting
- Sweating
Excessive hypertonic fluid
- IV infusion
- TPN
- Enteral feeds
Decreased Thirst*
Management of hypernatraemia?
- If severe consider ITU
- Treat underlying cause
- If mild
- Encourage oral intake of fluid - If hypervolaemic from inappropriate IV fluid then IV 5% dextrose and furosemide.
- N saline if hypovolaemic
Features of Hyperparathyroidism, what’s the usual patient?
Bones, stones, abdominal groans and psychic moans:
- Bone pain/fracture
- Renal stones
- Peptic ulceration/constipation/pancreatitis
- Polydipsia, polyuria
- Hypertension
- Depression
Normally elderly female, with unquenchable thirst and raised or inappropriately normal PTH
Normal (most common) cause of Hyperparathyroidism
Solitary parathyroid adenoma