General Medicine Flashcards
Causes of HAGMA (high anion gap metabolic acidosis)
KUSSMALL
- Ketoacidosis
- Urea (renal failure)
- Salicylate poisioning
- Methanol
- A
- Lactic acidosis (metformin can cause this)
- Ethylene glycol
What disease is caused by C282Y ?
Haemochromatosis
Positive smooth muscle antibody?
Hepatitis
Positive AMA?
Primary biliary cirrhosis
What is Osler-Weber syndrome?
Hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia. Autosomal dominant disorder which can present as iron deficiency anaemia due to bleeding telangiectases in the bowel or with more urgent GI bleed or haematemesis and melaena.
What is Peutz-Jeghers syndrome?
Brown melanin-pigmented lesions around the mouth an oral cavity associated with benign small bowel polyps.
Does otosclerosis have a relationship with otitis media?
Otosclerosis is a common cause of late onset deafness and has no relationship with otitis media.
What is the most common cause of a solitary thyroid nodule?
Most palpable and apparently solitary thyroid nodules are dominant nodules in a multinodular goitre with the other nodules not being readily palpable.
What are the presenting signs/symptoms of Wernicke encephalopathy and what is the pathophysiological cause?
Altered level of consciousness, brain stem signs - particularly opthalmoplegia and nystagmus. Due to petechial haemorrhages within the mid-brain and brainstem due to thiamine deficiency (usually associated with alcoholism)
What would extensor plantar responses in a patient with Wernicke encephalopathy suggest?
Extensor plantar responses would indicate an upper motor neuron lesion. In alcoholics with Wernicke encephalopathy other neurological disorders with upper motor neuron features may co-exist such as central pontine myelinolysis or subdural haematoma.
A 65 year old man presents with sudden, persisting monocular visual loss. There is a history of continual ipsilateral headache for the past 12 months. What laboratory test is MOST RELEVANT to the diagnosis and what is the prospect for the return of vision?
ESR - temporal arteritis - visual loss will most likely be permanent.
When the eyes of a semiconscious accident victim are examined it is found that the right pupil is dilated and does not react to light shone into either eye. The left pupil reacts to light shone directly into the left eye but not to light shone into the right eye. Which nerve(s) are involved?
R optic nerve (failure to respond to direct light) and the R third nerve (failure to respond to light in L eye - consensual response).
Involvement of both nerves is not uncommon in a periorbital fracture or tumour.
A 50 year old man has a 12 month history of episodes of severe vertigo and vomiting; between episodes he is asymptomatic. He has noticed progressively increasing deafness in his right ear with mild tinnitus. Examination reveals that, except for a nerve deafness in one ear there are no abnormalities in the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th or 7th cranial nerves during an acute attack of vertigo. The most likely diagnosis is….
Meniere disease (recurrent episodes of vertigo and vomiting with progressive hearing loss).
Defining feature of polymyositis?
Muscle weakness with no sensory change
A 40 year old woman presents complaining of difficulty with swallowing. Examination shows she has a nasal speech, weakness of the facial and neck muscles, receding hairline and a weak and slow hand grip. This patient is most likely to be suffering from…
Dystropia myotonica
- Weakness of facial, palatal and neck muscles and dysphagia probably related to weakness of constrictors of the pharynx. Weakness and slowness of hand grip, receeding hairline and testicular atrophy are also features. It is a slowly progressive hereditary disorder and may not become apparent until the age of 40. Later, cataracts and cardiomyopathy may develop.
What is bulbar palsy?
Lower motor neuron weakness of the cranial nerves originating in the medulla and pons. May present with nasal speech due to involvement of the facial nerves.
A 64 year old man complains of 6 months of increasing stiffness in his legs and difficulty with walking. On examination there is wasting of the right biceps brachii with depression of the tendon reflex, spasticity in both legs with weakness of hip flexion and bilateral brisk lower limb tendon reflexes. The most likely cause is…
Cervical spondylosis
- Lower limbs - increasing stiffness and difficulty walking with bilateral spasticity, weakness in hip flexion and brisk reflexes - indicates a bilateral pyramidal lesion above the L2 (cord) level.
- Upper limbs - wasting of biceps with depression of tendon jerk - suggesting C6 root lesion.
- Together these symptoms are very suggestive of cervical spondylosis at the C5-C6 level with disc protrusion and osteophytes compressing both the cord (causing cervical myelopathy) and the C6 nerve root. The C5-6 level is the most common level to find cervical disease. The mechanism of the pyramidal involvement is probably ischaemic from compression of the anterior spinal artery.
Are reflexes decreased in multiple sclerosis?
No - unchanged or increased
Is weakness a feature of motor neuron disease?
Yes
Are reflexes decreased in motor neuron disease?
No - they are brisk even when muscles are wasted
A 35 year old woman develops weakness of the legs over a period of 7 days. On examination the only abnormalities are generalised weakness of the legs and suppressed reflexes. The MOST LIKELY diagnosis is….
Guillain-Barre syndrome
- Rapid onset of motor weakness associated with depressed reflexes
- In the early phases there are relatively few sensory changes
What sensorimotor changes occur with spinal cord compression?
Focal weakness at the site of compression due to involvement of the nerve roots at that level. Weakness distal to the lesion will be pyramidal in nature and associated with increased reflexes.
An obese 55 year old man presents with mononeuritis multiplex. He is most likely to also have what condition?
Diabetes mellitus
- The primary mechanism of diabetes causing mononeuritis muliplex is thought to be focal ischaemia in individual nerves. Characterised by a polyradiculopathy with usually a symmetrical and predominantly motor deficit.
Does lead poisoning cause a motor or sensory neuropathy?
Motor - usually proximal
What other condition can cause a Guillain-Barre-like syndrome?
Infectious mononucleosis
Name some causes of parkinsonism (except Parkinson’s disease)…
Manganese intoxication - seen in mineral miners
Phenothiazines - block dopamine receptors - tremor and increased tone - partly reversible
Methyldopa - metabolised to alpha methyldopamine - blocks central dopamine receptors
Carbon monoxide poisoning - extrapyramidal disorder similar to Parkinson disease
Dementia pugilistica - boxers syndrome
What does phenytoin intoxication look like?
Cerebellar dysfunction and ataxia (not parkinsonism)
What are some treatment drugs for post-herpetic neuralgia?
Usually self-limiting - majority of pts will have no symptoms after 6 months
Amitryptiline - TCA
Pregabalin
Gabapentin
Rheumatoid factor - is it sensitive or specific?
Rheumatoid factor will eventually become positive in approximately 2/3 of pts with RA
It is strongly associated (>95%) with the presence of rheumatoid nodules.
It non-specific and can be positive in; SLE, Sjogren’s, chronic liver disease, sarcoidosis and others. It is found ing approximately 5% of the healthy population and >10% of those >65.
High titres can be associated with severe disease - but do not indicate activity of disease
What is the male to female ratio of anklylosing spondylitis?
M:F 9:1
Where are the first radiographic signs of anklylosing spondylitis usually found?
SI joint with blurring of the cortical margins of the subchondral bone followed by erosion and sclerosis.
What happens to the intervertebral disc spaces in ankylosing spondylitis?
They are usually maintained, particularly when sclerosis develops in the annulus.
Why do patients with ankylosing spondylitis sometimes have breathing issues?
AS reduces the mobility of the spine and the ribs and reduces the lung vital capacity
Which of the following is NOT correct? A 3rd heart sound…
- Is a diastolic filling sound
- Will disappear if atrial fibrillation occurs
- Can be normal in young people
- Is often a sign of left ventricular failure
- May occur in mitral incompetence
Answer: 2
3rd heart sound is not dependent on atrial contraction and is not influenced by the presence of AF. It is associated with rapid ventricular filling, it is low pitched and best heard with the bell. It may be normal before the age of 30 but should be assumed to be abnormal >40 years of age where it implies ventricular disease. It is commonly heard in acute left ventricular failure, as after MI. It occurs in most cases of severe mitral regurgitation. A rare cause is constrictive pericarditis where the 3rd heart sound represents sudden cessation of ventricular filling.
A 28 year old woman presents because of lethargy, dizzy spells and occasional syncope. During a dizzy spell the pulse rate is 32 beats/min and the blood pressure is 85/60mmHg. Which of the following is the MOST LIKELY diagnosis?
- Addison disease
- Insulinoma
- Structural disease of the cardiac conducting system (“sick sinus syndrome”)
- Sinus tachycardia with a 4:1 atrioventricular block
- Iron deficiency
Sinus tachycardia with a 4:1 atrioventricular block
- Addison disease may be associated with a mild bradycardia but not a pulse of 32/min - strongly suggests a significant degree of heart block.
- Sick sinus syndrome - usually is due to a structural disease of the conducting system - can cause episodic heart block and dizziness but would be very uncommon in a woman of this age (except if had cardiac surgery - uncommon, and usually permanent not transient)
- Insulinomas - syncope but not associated with such a low pulse rate
- Iron deficiency - mild tachycardia
A 60 year old man who has enjoyed good health complains of increasing breathlessness, abdominal discomfort and swelling of the feet for 3 weeks. His venous pressure is elevated, the liver is enlarged and there is gross ascites. The resting resp rate is 25/min and there are basal creps. The pulse is 36/min and an ECG shows an atrial rate of 96/min. The BP is 180/80mmHg. The MOST EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATE treatment is….
- IV frusemide
- IV frusemide + digoxin
- IV digoxin
- Abdominal paracentesis
- Insertion of a transvenous pacemaker
Answer 5. Insertion of a transvenous pacemaker.
This is heart failure due to complete heart block. The correct treatment is to increase his heart rate immediately with a pacemaker as when his heart rate is increased the signs of cardiac failure will abate. He is at risk of sudden death so the pacemaker is urgent.
- Digoxin may increase risk of asystole
- Reducing plasma volume with frusemide would reduce the filling pressure and further reduce cardiac output - possibly fatally
- Abdominal paracentesis would also reduce the filling pressure and blood volume (as fluid would quickly shift to fill it back again) and reduce the cardiac output also.
The MOST COMMON site of a spontaneous rupture of an atherosclerotic aortic aneurysm is…
Abdominal aorta below the renal arteries
After a pulmonary embolus which of the following is MOST LIKELY?
- Low R atrial pressure and low central venous pressure
- Low systemic arterial pressure and low venous pressures
- High pulmonary venous pressure and pulmonary oedema
- High R ventricular pressure and high systemic venous pressure
- High L atrial pressure and functional mitral valve incompetence
Answer 4: High R ventricular pressure and high systemic venous pressure.
- High right ventricular pressure (blood unable to get into the pulmonary circulation) and a raised systemic venous pressure (backflow from an obstructed right sided circulation).
Fibromuscular hyperplasia of the renal arteries as a cause of hypertension is MOST FREQUENT in what gender and age group?
Fibromuscular hyperplasia affecting the renal arteries, is a disease of unknown aetiology most commonly detected in a young woman.
In a coal miner aged 50 years, a persistent blood-stained pleural effusion is MOST LIKELY to be due to…
- Pulmonary tuberculosis
- Coal miner’s pneumoconiosis
- Carcinoma of the lung
- Silicosis
- Mesothelioma
Answer 3: Carcinoma of the lung
- Coal miner’s pneumoconiosis and silicosis do not produce blood-stained effusions
- Mesothelioma can produce a blood-stained effusion but usually other signs of asbestosis are apparent and it is far less common than lung Ca
- Pulmonary TB produces an exudative effusion with many lymphocytes but usually not blood stained
Which of the following is UNUSUAL in a patient with chronic hypercapnia?
- Retinal venous distension
- Drowsiness
- Cold, clammy skin
- Headache
- Muscle twitching
- Cold clammy skin is not a feature of chronic hypercapnia (pink puffers - not blue bloater)
- Hypercapnia induces peripheral vasodilation resulting in hot, dry skin and retinal distension
- Vasodilation of scalp vessels and intracranial extracerebral vessels are responsible for the headache of hypercapnia
- Drowsiness is due to the direct cerebral effect of the elevated CO2 or acidosis on the reticular formation.
- Muscle twitching is usually due to acidosis, but myoclonic jerks of central origin may also occur
Respiratory alkalosis is associated with…
- Inc PaCO2, Inc plasma bicarb
- Inc PaCO2, Dec plasma bicarb
- Dec PaCO2, Inc plasma bicarb
- Dec PaCO2, Dec plasma bicarb
- Dec PaCO2, Dec urinary bicarb
Answer 4: Dec PaCO2, Dec plasma bicarb
- In resp alkalosis there is an increased loss of CO2 from hyperventilation. This reduces the PaCO2. The subsequent rise in pH is partly compensated for by an increased urinary excretion of bicarb and causing a decrease in plasma bicarb (hence acidifying the blood to compensate for the alkalosis).
A healthy non-smoking 19 yo man is hospitalised for an appendicectomy and mistakenly given an overdose of narcotics. He is found unconscious and on auscultation of his chest he has reduced breath sounds and no added sounds. Chest x-ray is clear. Arterial blood gases (on room air) are MOST LIKELY to show a pH, PaO2 and PaCO2 of…
- 7.22, 70, 61
- 7.23, 90, 59
- 7.23, 86, 30
- 7.39, 65, 42
- 7.39, 75, 60
Answer 1: low pH, low O2, high CO2
- Hypoventilation causes a respiratory acidosis with a reduction in PaO2, and increase in PaCO2. One would expect an acidosis not a normal pH as this is acute and not enough time for metabolic compensation.
What is the colour of sputum associated with pneumococcal pneumonia?
Rust-coloured
What is the colour/consistency of sputum associated with pulmonary oedema?
Pink and frothy
What is the colour/consistency of sputum associated with chronic bronchitis?
Clear and mucoid
A 24-yo asthmatic presents to ED complaining of SOB. He looks unwell. Pulse rate 130, temp 38. Chest is hyperinflated, breath sounds are vesicular but diminished and there is a soft, generalised expiratory wheeze. Do you take him for an x-ray, do ABGs or peak flow first?
Peak flow - will tell you most about his reserve/severity of this exacerbation.
He sounds too sick to be taken to radiology for a x-ray (unless ofc you are in resus) due to diminished soft breath sounds which are a late sign of life-threatening asthma - but also could be consistent with mild asthma and acute infection.
ABGs will be helpful straight after peak flow to delineate this before a chest x-ray.
Dysphagia can be ASSOCIATED with each of the following except…
- Monilial oesophagitis
- Myasthenia gravis
- Iron deficiency anaemia
- Parkinsonism
- Oesophageal varices
- Oesophageal varices - these do not cause dysphagia as they are soft and dilated venous channels easily displaced by food and liquid
How is iron deficiency anaemia associated with dysphagia?
Iron deficiency anaemia can be associated with an accompanying hypopharyngeal web in middle-aged women, causing sideropenic dysphagia (Plummer-Vinson syndrome)
What is the most significant long-term risk with gluten sensitive enteropathy?
There is a substantial long term risk of developing intestinal lymphoma in patients with gluten-sensitive enteropathy.
How long does it take to see a histological change in the intestines of a patient with gluten-sensitive enteropathy when put on a gluten-free diet?
Some patients may take 24-36 months before clinical response is apparent. In some adults there may be little change in the intestinal histological features.
What disease is consistent with an inflammatory cell infiltrate with PAS-positive macrophages in the gut?
Whipple disease
What magnitude is the increased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in carriers of hepatitis B?
90-100 fold increased risk
What organism is the most common cause of “traveller’s diarrhoea”?
Enterotoxigenic E-coli
What type of bowel polyp is most likely to produce a cancer?
Villous adenoma
A 30 year old woman presents with a 2 week history of bloody diarrhoea. Sigmoidoscopic examination reveals changes compatible with ulcerative colitis. A rectal biopsy is taken. The NEXT STEP should be to…
- Commence salicylazosulphapyridine
- Commence IV steroids
- Order a stool culture
- Commence rectal steroids
- Await results of rectal biopsy
- Order a stool culture
- A history of 2 weeks bloody diarrhoea would be consistent with the first episode of UC but an infective cause must be excluded by stool microscopy and culture. C Jejuni, amoebiasis or CMV enteritis in the immunosuppressed may have a macroscopic appearance indistinguishable from that of UC.
A 19 year old female, recently returned from Indonesia, presents with bloody diarrhoea, cramping abdominal pain, tenesmus and fever. Which infection is most likely, how would it be diagnosed and treated?
Shigella infection. Numerous polymorph leucocytes are usually seen in the stool and the infection can be diagnosed by gram stain and stool culture. A quinolone antibiotic is indicated.
A 38 year old woman presents with a 2 week history of malaise, feeling hot and feverish, palpitations, sweating, tremor, pain in the neck and weight loss of 2 kg. Her pulse is 120/min and her hands are sweaty with tremor. Her thyroid is palpable, firm, tender and enlarged. Which one of the following results CONFIRMS the MOST LIKELY diagnosis?
- High serum thyroxine and T3
- Low thyroid uptake of radioactive iodine
- Thyroid nuclear scan showing increased uptake
- Antithyroid antibodies present in high titre
- Low TSH with flat response to thyrotropin-releasing hormone
- Low thyroid uptake of radioactive iodine
- Although some of the symptoms in this vignette are those of thyrotoxicosis, the rapid onset with thyroid pain and the palpable tender enlarged thyroid suggest thyroiditis.
- The most reliable test to distinguish between acute thyrotoxicosis and subacute thyroiditis are nuclear uptake tests. Reduced uptake of radioactive iodine is typical of subacute thyroiditis, compared with increased uptake in acute thyrotoxicosis. Subacute thryoiditis is thought to be a response to a viral infection rather than an autoimmune response.
All of the following can occur with an ABO-incompatible blood transfusion EXCEPT…
- Fever, rigors
- Hypotension
- Back pain
- Bilrubinuria
- Haemoglobinuria
Answer: 4 - Bilirubinuria does not occur with ABO incompatible blood transfusion.
Typically fever, rigors and hypotension followed by back pain and haemoglobinuria causing dark urine. While bilirubin is produced in excess from haemoglobin and the patient may be jaundiced, the bilirubin is in unconjugated form and therefore does not appear in the urine.
Macrocytic anaemia is found in all of the following except…
- Hypothyroidism
- Anti-epileptic medication
- Regional ileitis (Crohn disease)
- Chronic alcoholism
- Chronic uraemia
- Chronic uraemia - is normally normochronic and normocytic not macrocytic - it is predominantly due to the inability of the kidneys to produce adequate amounts of EPO
Why does phenytoin cause anaemia and what type of anaemia does it cause?
Phenytoin interferes with the absorption of folic acid therefore produces a macrocytic anaemia
What are the mechanisms by which alcoholism causes a macrocytic anaemia?
3 mechanisms:
- Liver disease
- Low folate
- Megaloblastic bone marrow
which of the following SUPPORTS a diagnosis of glandular fever due to Epstein-Barr virus infection?
- Splenic infarction
- Eosinophilia
- A maculopapular rash following erythromycin
- The presence of cold agglutinins in the patient’s blood
- Abnormal liver function tests without jaundice
- Abnormal liver function tests without jaundice
- Splenic infarction is not a frequent complication of EBV infection. Eosinophilia would suggest a parasitic infection. Normally the neutrophils are suppressed and the lymphocytes are elevated with abnormal lymphocytes in EBV infection. A rash may occur with ampicillin in EBV infection but not with erythromycin. Cold agglutinins are typical of mycoplasma infections not EBV
Which of the following effects of antidiuretic hormone leads to the production of a concentrated urine?
- Increase in free water clearance
- Increase in Na conc in the distal tubule fluid
- Increase in active transport of water in the distal tubule
- Increased permeability of water in the distal tubule
- Increase reabsorption of sodium in the distal tubule
Answer 4
The primary effect of ADH is to increase the permeability of water in the distal tubules. As the distal tubule lies in an area of hyperosmolarity there is a reabsorption of water, leading to more concentrated urine
A 60 year old woman is brought to the ED by her relatives who have noticed that she is “unwell” and confused. Initial bloods: Na 139, K 5.4, Cl 113, HCO3 17, urea 11.5 (
- Metabolic acidosis
- Her lowered PaCO2 and bicarbonate indicate that the acidosis is metabolic rather than respiratory in origin.
- With the raised chloride level, the anion gap has been decreased. In renal metabolic acidosis the anion gap is increased. Adults with profuse vomiting usually develop an alkalosis with elevated bicarbonate and lowered potassium. An infusion of bicarbonate would not contribute to the patient’s treatment in that the bicarbonate is lowered secondary to the lowered pH. The primary treatment should be directed towards the cause of the acidosis.
Which of the following is the MOST COMMON cause of end-stage renal failure in adults in Australia?
- Diabetes mellitus
- Polycystic renal disease
- Analgesic nephropathy
- Chronic glomerulonephritis
- Reflux nephropathy
- Chronic glomerulonephritis
This accounts for 32% of patients presenting for renal replacement therapy. Diabetics count for 20%, Polycystic kidney disease is 10%, analgesic nephropathy is about 5%. Reflux nephropathy due to vesico-ureteric reflux is a common cause of chronic renal failure in childhood but not adults
A GP prescribes pencillin V for a sore throat in a 11 yo boy after diagnosing infection with a Group A haemolytic strep. The boy recovers well. Ten days post he develops malaise and mild facial and hand swelling. All of the following statements are correct EXCEPT…
- Hypertension and pulmonary oedema are commonly associated with this clinical presentation
- Urinary sediment containing red cells and hyalin casts suggests acute post-strep glomerulonephritis
- A low antistreptolysin (ASOT) titre excludes post-strep glomerulonephritis
- Treatment is bed rest, diuretic and antihypertensive medication
- The boy’s family should be screened for Group A haemolytic strep carriers
- A low ASOT does not exclude post-strep glomerulonephritis
- ASOT may not rise for 2-3 weeks after acute haemolytic strep infection, and indeed, may not rise at all, therefore the presence of a normal or low ASOT does not exclude the diagnosis of post-strep glomerulonephritis
The MOST COMMON INITIAL manifestation of HIV infection is…
- An opportunistic infection
- Meningitis
- A GI disorder
- A mild flu-like illness
- Not a specific symptomatic pattern
- A mild flu-like illness
- Opportunistic infections do not occur until later in the disease process when there is profound immune deficiency. Meningitis, GI and other symptoms are again less common as initial manifestations of infection. Although some patients are unable to identify the time of HIV infection from symptomatic assessment, more do have evidence of an initial flu-like febrile illness.