General Mental Health Flashcards
who can make an assessment order?
any health practitioner or mental health practitioner
what is a ‘mood episode’
any period of time that a patient feels abnormally sad or happy
what is the significance of negative symptoms and cognitive impairment in schizophrenia?
there is no treatment for negative and cognitive impairment in schizophrenia, and it indicate poor prognosis as both impair normal functioning
main differential diagnoses for schizophrenia?
bipolar disorder with psychotic features and major depressive disorder with psychotic features, schizoaffective disorder, schizophreniform disorder, alcohol/drug induced psychosis or medical illness causing psychosis
what is conduct disorder?
antisocial behaviour
what is the difference between transgender and transsexual?
transgender- person identifies with the gender other than their biologically assigned gender
transsexual- person has begun the hormonal/surgical process of transitioning to their identified gender
what group of patients are most likely to have dissociative identity disorder?
female patients who are sexually abused
what are the three types of cluster A personalities?
paranoid, schizoid, schizotypal
what are some characteristics of catatonia?
immobility, mutism, catalepsy, stupor, negativitism, echo-phenomena, repetitive purposeless movements
what drug is used for PTSD?
paroxetine
how might we manage delirium?
- ix and then treat the cause
- usually non-pharmacological management is sufficient (calm, reassurance, close monitoring)
- if significantly agitated/disruptive an anti-psychotic (haloperidol/olanzapine/risperidone) may be used. consider if patient can take oral or whether it needs to be IM
risk factors for bipolar disorder
• Genetic • Head injury Organic CNS disease • AIDS • Childbirth • Circadian rhythm disruption Sleep disruption
what are some issues that can arise from poor maternal mental illness?
• Poor attachment between mother and child
• Child may have problems with emotional interaction and development/failure to thrive
• Shown to have some structural neurological differences in neglected children
• Poor mental health while pregnant can cause effects such as foetal alcohol syndrome, IUGR, etc
• Psychotropic medication can pass through breast milk
• Increased risk of STIs–> vertical transmission
Medications can be teratogenic
what are the risks of refeeding syndrome
acute cardiac failure acute renal failure Wernicke's encephalopathy sepsis respiratory failure
what metabolic disturbances do you see in refeeding syndrome?
hypomagnesium
hypokalemia
hyponatremia
hypophosphatemia
and hyperglycaemia
describe panic disorder
Individual experiences recurrent unprovoked panic attacks, worries excessively about future panic attacks and often has maladaptive behavioural changes as a result of the panic attacks
A 21 year old female presents to ED with BMI of 11. Didn’t want to come in but GP completed an assessment order.
What is your management in the acute setting?
- Exclude organic cause e.g. thyroid/malabsorption
- What did you eat yesterday?
- Assess compensatory mechanisms (purging/fasting/exercise/laxatives/thyroxine)
- Assess their cognition about their weight- e.g. anorectic? Stress?
- Assess risk of refeeding syndrome (how quickly have they lost weight? Is it new onset?)
- Assess risk of physical sequelae (acid base issues, lack of poor sympathetic response, hypoalbuminaemia, amenorrhoea, infertility, osteoporosis/fractures)
- Assess psychiatric risk- Suicidal intent, DSH, risk of absconding
- Assess pyschiatric comorbidities- OCD, borderline personality disorder, anxiety, depression
- Physical examination- hypothermia, vitals (postural tachycardia and hypotension), poor peripheral circulation
- Investigations: FBE,UEC, TFTs, lipids, random BG, LFTs (albumin), coags, DEXA scan
- Admit to medical ward
- With dietician help commence refeeding slowly
- Give thiamine and other electrolytes
- Provide ongoing psychological support
what does depersonalisation mean?
feeling of detachment from patient’s mind to body
what are the three types of symptoms for schizophrenia
positive symptoms
negative symptoms
disorganisation symptoms
what are some structural abnormalities in the brain of patients with schizophrenia?
reduced grey matter
enlarged ventricles
reduced volume in frontal lobe, hippocampus, amygdala
what are the indications for ECT?
- melancholic depression
- psychotic depression with catatonia
- severe depression in pregnancy
- ?Bipolar/mania
what does lithium in high doses and ECT for bipolar patients result in?
acute delirium
define stupor
episode of mutism and absence of movement but no impairment of consciousness
what do we mean by ‘difficulty with affect regulation’?
commonly refers to patients with borderline personality traits who have fluctuating affects/mood and difficulty controlling it
differential diagnosis for deliberate self harm?
- adjustment disorder
- depression/substance abuse/personality disorder
- schizophrenia
non psychiatric ddx for anxiety?
- depressive illness
- thyrotoxicosis
- alcohol withdrawal
- excessive caffeine
- hypoglycaemia
what type of hallucinations are more common in schizophrenia?
auditory
how many treatments of ECT are generally needed for a patient?
most patients remit between 6-12 treatments but some require more
what are some exacerbating factors for depression
poor maternal child attachment/bond, child sexual abuse, unemployment, poor parenting
what do you think with late onset mania/personality changes?
organic cause
what is dissociative identity disorder also known as?
multiple personality disorder
what is the general age of onset for schizophrenia?
15-20s (adolescence)
what are the characteristics of cluster C personalities?
dependent, low self esteem, avoidance of conflict, obsessive compulsive, depressed mood
what is the dopamine hypothesis for schizophrenic positive and negative symptoms?
positive symptoms- overactivity of mesolimbic dopamine pathways
negative symptoms- underactivity of mesocortical dopamine pathways
what are the radiological and biochemical abnormalities seen in OCD?
Frontal cortex overactivity on PET scan
abnormality of serotonin pathways
explain why refeeding syndrome occurs?
In extremely malnourished patients the primary mode of metabolism is through use of fat/muscle. They also have reduced electrolytes however serum levels are normal. When undergoing nutritional support in the hospital, they are given CHO. CHO induces insulin to rise, insulin causes potassium/phosphate and Mg to enter cells, reducing serum levels of these electrolytes. Hyperglycaemia also occurs
what is a tic?
sudden repetitive involuntary motor movement or vocalisation involving specific muscle groups
what is agoraphobia?
difficulty going out alone e.g. crowded places/public transport
describe cyclothymic bipolar disorder?
Cycling between hypomania and depression ~4 episodes per year
why aren’t diuretic medications given prior to ECT?
to minimise the amount of urine in the bladder during the procedure, to prevent urinary incontinence as a result of the seizure
what do we mean by thought broadcasting?
patient feels that their thoughts that are shared by others
define an unhealthy personality disorder in general terms
an unhealthy personality has a restricted range of characteristics which makes the person unable to adapt to the world, hence limiting their functioning. It permeates all areas of their life
a patient is delirious on the ward. What ix would you order?
oxygen saturation with or without blood gas measurement
electrocardiogram (ECG)
blood glucose concentration
serum urea, creatinine, electrolyte and calcium concentrations
liver biochemistry
full blood count
urine dipstick analysis (and urine microscopy and culture if appropriate)
What exactly is ECT?
inducing a generalised cerebral seizure under general anaesthetic
what is schizoaffective disorder
for at least a month, patients have basic symptoms of schizophrenia accompanied by depressive or manic episodes
risks of ECT
retrograde and anterograde amnesia
memory disturbances
seizures
what are the three types of B personalities?
borderline
narcissistic
antisocial
classic triad of manic symptoms?
pressured speech, increased motor activity, heightened self esteem
what is schizophreniform disorder
patients have basic symptoms of schizophrenia but only has been unwell for less than 6 months
what is a differential diagnosis for depression?
cluster C personality disorder, hypoactive delirium, negative symptoms of schizophrenia, bipolar depression
what are the three types of C personalities?
obsessive compulsive
avoidant
dependent
describe neuroleptic malignant syndrome
Severe muscle rigidity and elevated temperature, autonomic instability and elevated CK! associated with the use of neuroleptic medication
what is child bonnet syndrome?
complex visual hallucinations in a partially or legally blind patient- usually seen in elderly blind patients
describe serotonin syndrome?
rigidity, myoclonus, hyperreflexia, increased temperature, confusion, agitation, tremor
describe borderline personality?
Marked impulsivity, unstable interpersonal relationships, self destructiveness
- -> angry and volatile
- -> think childhood trauma/abuse
describe generalised anxiety disorder GAD
over 6 months, excessive anxiety and worry on most days, with three or more of difficulty concentrating, easily fatigued, sleep problems, irritability, muscle tension
define affect
external representation of internal emotion
contraindications for ECT?
raised ICP`
hyperthyroidism
recent cerebrovascular event
what is the difference between factitious disorder and somatisation disorder and malingerering?
factitious disorder- patients feign symptoms to gain attention/sympathy etc
somatisation disorder- patients truly experience psychosomatic symptoms with no intention to deceive
malingering- patients feign symptoms for an ulterior motive such as work cover, financial/insurance/forensic reasons
what is conversion disorder?
patient presents with neurological symptoms e.g. seizures, paralysis, blindness, dysphagia, dysarthria but no organic neurological cause has been found
for example- psychogenic seizures
often associated with maladaptive personality traits, hx of abuse, derealisation/depersonalisation and dissociative amnesia
does not fit concretely into malingering/factitious behaviour
patient symptoms are often incongruent and often they show a strange lack of concern for the severity of their presentation which is called the ‘la belle indifference phenomenon’
define delusional disorder?
at least 1 month of delusions but no other major schizophrenic symptoms (e.g. hallucinations, unless related to the delusions) or impaired functioning. delusions are not attributable to other organic physiological cause/drugs/alcohol
what is an easy way of thinking about the three clusters of personalities?
MAD- cluster A
BAD- cluster B
SAD- cluster C
what do we mean by negative symptoms?
avolition, blunt affect, asociality, anhedonia, alogia (diminished speech output)
what possible ix would we order for a newly admitted psych patient and why?
FBE: looking for agranulocytosis (clozapine), macrocytosis (alcohol abuse), anaemia (eating disorder), platelet counts (carbamazepine + valproate)
UEC: renal function (lithium), electrolyte disturbance (SSRI/SNRIs)
LFTs: looking for deranged (alcohol abuse, hepatitis B/C, antipsychotic meds especially chlopromazine)
TFTs: looking for organic cause (thyrotoxicosis), lithium side effects
Fasting glucose + lipids: metabolic screen when on anti-psychotics
PRL level: for antipsychotics like olanzapine and risperidone
Lithium blood test- looking for levels of Li2+ in bipolar patients (may indicate compliance)
Drug and alcohol levels- looking for substance abuse cause (urine test and blood test respectively
Serology: hep B/C, HIV
Vitamins: B12/thiamine/folate
what are the positive symptoms of schizophrenia
delusions and hallucinations
ddx for OCD
anxiety
depression
DSM criteria for bulimia
- recurrent episodes of binge eating
- recurrent inappropriate compensatory behaviours to prevent weight gain
- these behaviours and binge eating occur at least once per week for three months
- selfevaluation is influenced by body shape and weight
a patient presents with an episode of psychosis- what do we need to exclude?
- organic/medical cause
- substance abuse induced psychosis
- masquerading mood disorder such as depression/anxiety/bipolar
when taking an adolescent psych history, what do we need to cover?
- You need to take a detailed family and developmental history
- Try to ascertain the patterns of dealing with adversity
Consider the goals of adolescence- identity and independence (both practical and that of thinking)