Management of Common Conditions Flashcards
Management of pulmonary embolism (PE)
- Oxygen therapy
- Analgesia as needed
- Assess bleeding risk:
- Low: empiric anticoagulation (usually LMWH) or thrombolysis (alteplase)
- High: temporary IVC filter or embolectomy
- Long-term coagulation: DOAC or warfarin (review after 3 months)
Anticoagulation choice consideration for PE
- First choice: LMWH (e.g. enoxaparin)
- Renal failure patients: UFH
- Long-term: DOAC or warfarin
Management for acute coronary syndrome
- Adjunctive:
- Morphine IV for pain relief
- Oxygen if hypoxic
- Nitrate (sublingual or IV) - symptomatic chest pain relief
- Statins
- Critical:
- Revascularisation (if STEMI or high-risk NSTEMI)
- PCI (e.g. balloon dilatation with stent implantation): if <2h since first medical contact
- Fibrinolysis (e.g. alteplase): if PCI can’t be performed
- Monitor: serial ECG (every 15-30min) and troponin (every 1-6h), continuous cardiac monitoring
- Antiplatelets: aspirin + clopidogrel
- Anticoagulation: UFH or LMWH
- Revascularisation (if STEMI or high-risk NSTEMI)
- Consider beta-blockers, ACEi/ARBs, fluid management (e.g furosemide)
Management of ischemic stroke
- Non-contrast CT: to rule out hemorrhagic stroke
- Reperfusion therapy: IV thrombolysis (if <3h from onset) or mechanical thrombectomy (after doing CT angiography)
- Supportive care:
- Only treat severe hypertension (>220 SBP or >120 DBP)
- Antiplatelet therapy (aspirin or clopidogrel): start within first 48h
- Modifiable risk factors: statins, hypertension control, glycemic control
Indication for securing the airway
- Respiratory distress
- Airway obstruction
- Reduced level of consciousness
- Trauma or injury
- Anesthesia or sedation
Management of hemorrhagic stroke
- Emergency non-contrast CT and/or lumbar puncture to conclusively rule out SAH
- If still unsure, perform a CT angiography
- Initial management:
- Stabilization: ABDCE survey, secure airway if indicated
- Prevention of rebleeding:
- Anticoagulation reversal
- BP control:
- Target SBP<160mmHg
- Control permissible hypertension (MAP>90mmHg) to maintain cerebral perfustion
- Adjunctive measures:
- ICP management: elevate head 30 degrees, IV mannitol
- Nimodipine IV (within 96h): prevents vasospasm
- Pain relief and antiemetics
Acute management of CHF
- Loop diuretic (furosemide) + ACEi/ARB
- Morphine
- Nitrates: dilate blood vessels and reduce the workload of the heart
- Oxygen: improve oxygenation and relieve SOB
- Position (upright)
Consider inotropic support (e.g., dobutamine, norepinephrine)
Long-term management of CHF
- Lifestyle
- Fluid management: <1.5L if congested
- Salt restriction:<2g/day
- Dietary and exercise support
- Medical treatment
- ACEi/ARBs
- Add beta-blockers once stable: reduces hospitalisation and mortality rate
- Consider adding SGLT-2 inhibitors (cardioprotective factors)
- Comorbidity treatment (e.g. hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, OSA)
Management of DVT
- Evaluate and treat concurrent PE
- Analgesics
- Anticoagulation:
- Initial parenteral anticoagulation: LMWH or UFH for 5-10 days
- Long-term oral anticoagulation: DOAC or warfarin for 3-6 months
- Secondary prevention of DVT: Review with specialist on the need to extend use
- Monitor bleeding risk annually
- If anticoagulation is contraindicated: thrombectomy, catheter-directed thrombolysis
Management of PAD
- For intermittent claudication: CV risk modification and structured exercise therapy
- If persistent claudication
- Pharmacological: cilostazol (vasodilator)
- Revascularisation:
- Endovascular: percutaneous angioplasty + stent placement
- Surgical: peripheral artery bypass or endarterectomy
- Amputation: if wet gangrene and/or septic
Management for unstable AF
- Unstable AFib: emergency synchronized cardioversion
- Cardiology consult and consider anticoagulation prior
Management for stable AF
- Stable Afib
- If <48h: rate or rhythm control
- If >48h: rate control
- Options:
- Rate control (aim for <110bpm)
- Beta-blockers (e.g. atenolol)
- Nondihydropyridine CCBs (e.g. verapamil)
- Rhythm control
- Electrical cardioversion
- Pharma cardioversion: flecainide or amiodarone
- Note: assess for need of anticoagulation prior to cardioversion as it increases VTE risk
- Rate control (aim for <110bpm)
- Anticoagulation therapy:
- Valvular AF: warfarin
- Non-valvular: DOAC or warfarin (based on CHADS-VASc)
Management of primary hypertension
First-line:
1. ACEi/ARBs
2. CCBs
3. Thiazide diuretics
Lifestyle: weight loss, diet, exercise
Management for hyperlipidemia
- Lifestyle: weight loss, exercise, diet
- Pharmacological treatment (based on age, LDL, and CVD risk)
- Statins: first line
- If LDL target not achieved, consider adding ezetimibe
General management for valvular heart disease
- Medical treatment
- Assess and manage for CVD risk factor
- Consider endocarditis prophylaxis
- Prevention of VTE if indicated (e.g. after anticoagulant therapy)
- Intervention (if indicated)
- Valve repair: reconstruction (e.g. annuloplasty) or valvuloplasty
- Valve replacement
- Mechanical: usually for younger patients
- Lifelong anticoagulation: warfarin
- Biological: for older patients or high bleeding risk
- anticoagulation for 3 months
- Mechanical: usually for younger patients
General management for infective endocarditis (IE)
- Consult ID team to plan treatment and consider empirical therapy
- Antibiotic therapy:
- Obtain 2-3 sets of blood culture before commencing
- Start empirical therapy
- Native valve: benzylpenicillin + flucloxacillin + gentamicin
- Prosthetic: vancomycin + flucloxacillin + gentamicin
- Switch to targeted antibiotic therapy once results are available
- Prophylaxis antibiotic: only for dental or cardiac procedures (usually amoxicillin or cefalexin prior to procedure)
- Surgical therapy: valve replacement or valve repair
- indicated if prosthetic valve or valve dysfunction leading to heart failure
General management for acute rheumatic fever
- GAS eradication: IM benzathine benzylpenicillin
- If hypersensitive to penicillin: cefalexin or azithromycin
- Symptomatic treatment of arthritis/fever
- NSAIDs: aspirin or naproxen
- 2nd line: glucocorticoids
- Secondary prevention:
- IM benzathine benzylpenicillin every 3-4 weeks (could be for years)
General management of asthma
- Assess severity
- Mild: symptoms >2/week, minor limitation to activities (FEV>80%)
- Moderate: daily symptoms, some limitation to activities (FEV 60-80%)
- Severe: symptoms throughout the day, waking up due to symptoms every night (FEV<60%)
- Stepwise pharmacological treatment
- Step 1: SABA as needed
- Step 2: low dose ICS+SABA
- Step 3: low dose ICS+LABA
- Step 4: medium dose ICS+LABA
- Step 5: medium dose ICS+LABA+LAMA
- Step 6: high dose ICS+LABA + oral corticosteroid
- Adjunctive therapy
- reduce exposure to allergens or trigger
- lifestyle recommendations
- reducing risk of infection-induced exacerbations (e.g. immunizations)
General management of COPD
- Supportive measures
- Lifestyle modification (e.g. cessation of tobacco use)
- Immunization (pneumococcal, influenza, etc)
- Management of comorbidities
- Pulmonary rehabilitation
- Severity
- Mild (FEV>80%)
- Moderate (FEV 60-80%)
- Severe (FEV<60%)
- Stepwise treatment
- SABA
- LAMA or LABA
- LAMA+LABA
- ICS+LAMA+LABA
General management of CAP
- Collect blood and sputum samples before starting antibiotics
- Assess need for hospitalization:
- CURB-65 (≥2: inpatient)
- Confusion
- Urea>7mmol/L
- RR>30
- BP < 90/60mmHg
- Age≥65
- CURB-65 (≥2: inpatient)
- Empirical therapy:
- Low-severity (0-1): oral amoxycillin + doxycycline for 5 days (treat as outpatient)
- Medium-severity (2): IV benzylpenicillin + oral doxycycline
- High-severity (3-5): IV ceftriaxone + azithromycin
-
Duration may vary, but lasts up to 5-7 days
- Review antibiotics after 48h
- Switch to targeted therapy after results of sputum sample MCS
General management of HAP
- Collect blood and sputum samples before starting antibiotics
- Severity assessment:
- High severity: presence of septic shock, respiratory failure, rapid progression in X-rays
- Empirical therapy:
- Low-medium: IV or oral augmentin
- High: IV pip-taz
- Switch to targeted therapy after results of sputum sample MCS
Management of IPF
- Lifestyle modification:
- Smoking cessation
- Vaccination recommended
- Pulmonary rehab
- Symptom approach
- Supplementary oxygen therapy
- Cough suppressant
- Pharmacological therapy
- Antifibrotic agentsmay reduce mortality and acute exacerbations
- Immunosuppressive therapy is not indicated
- Lung transplantation: the only curative therapy
Management for OSA
- First-line treatment: CPAP machine
- Risk factor management:
- weight loss
- sleep hygiene
Management for TB
- Infection control:
- Case notified to local health department and contact tracing
- Airborne precautions
- Pharmacological:
- Intensive phase: 2-months of RIPE
- Rifampin
- Isoniazid
- Pyrazinamide
- Ethambutol
- Followed by 4 months of:
- Rifampin
- Isoniazid
- Intensive phase: 2-months of RIPE
Management of PUD
- General measures:
- Avoid NSAIDs
- Restrict alcohol, smoking, caffeine
- Test for H. pylori infection (e.g. urea breath test)
- Positive: H. pylori eradication therapy
- 2 weeks course of azithromycin + amoxicillin + PPI
- Confirm that H. pylori has been eradicated 4–6 weeks after completion of the treatment regimen
- Negative: Trial of PPIs for 4-8 weeks and re-evaluate
- Positive: H. pylori eradication therapy
- Failure: elective surgery
Management of GORD
- Lifestyle:
- Diet: small portions, avoid eating before sleeping
- Weight loss
- Avoid caffeine, smoking, alcohol
- Pharmacological:
- PPI regimen for 8 weeks
- Alternative: H2 antagonists
- Review clinical response after 8 weeks
- PPI regimen for 8 weeks
- Surgical: when symptoms are refractory to medical therapy or presence of complications
- Fundoplication: wrapping of the top part of the stomach around the lower part of the esophagus to prevent reflux
Management of achalasia
- Low-surgical risk:
- Pneumatic dilation
- LES myotomy
- High surgical risk:
- Botulinum toxin injection in the LES
General management of acute pancreatitis
- Initial management:
- IV fluids: crystalloids (e.g. CSL)
- Monitor vitals, O2 sat, urine output
- Obtain lab studies (FBE, UEC) every 6-12h to assess adequacy of fluid resuscitation and tissue perfusion
- Replete electrolytes as needed
- Supportive therapy:
- Analgesia: NSAIDs or opioids
- Antiemetic: IV ondansetron
- Antibiotic: only in patients with evidence of infected necrosis
- Feeding:
- Fasting is no longer recommended
- Early oral feeding or via nasogastric tube
- Management:
- Biliary pancreatitis:
- Therapeutic ERCP and stone removal
- Cholecystectomy
- Alcohol-induced:
- Check Mg and PO4- levels and replete as needed
- Vitamin supplementation (B1 and B6)
- Biliary pancreatitis:
Management of coeliac disease
- Investigate for nutrient deficiencies: iron, vitamin B12, folate, vit D
- Supplementation as needed
- Screen for osteopenia by BMD scan
- Gluten-free diet
Management of ulcerative colitis
- First-line treatment: 5-ASA (mesalamine)
- Alternative: oral corticosteroids
- For severe cases: consider adding biologics (e.g. anti-TNF therapy)
- Supportive therapy:
- Analgesics: paracetamol, sedatives
- avoid opioids and NSAIDs
- Identify and treat any micronutrient deficiency
- Analgesics: paracetamol, sedatives
Management of Crohn’s
- Induction phase: to manage acute flares
- Corticosteroids, biologics
- Maintenance phase:
- Biologics (e.g. anti-TNF - adalimumab
- Immunomodulators (e.g. azathioprine, methotrexate)
- Supportive therapy:
- Pain management
- Antidiarrheal therapy: loperamide
- Identify and treat nutritional deficiency
Management of diverticulitis
- Uncomplicated (w/o perforation, peritonitis, sepsis, etc)
- Empirical antibiotic: oral Augmentin for 5 days
- Supportive care:
- Bowel rest: clear liquid diet until symptoms improve
- Analgesics and antiemetics
- Complicated
- Empirical antibiotics: IV gentamicin + amoxicillin + metronidazole
- Duration: no surgery (7-10 days); had surgery (5 days)
- Surgical intervention:
- Drainage of abscess
- Potential colectomy or Hartmann
- Supportive care:
- NPO
- IV fluids
- Analgesics and antiemetics
- Empirical antibiotics: IV gentamicin + amoxicillin + metronidazole
Management of cholelithiasis
- Initial support:
- NPO
- Analgesics and anti-emetics
- Surgical management: Cholecystectomy
- If evidence of choledocholithiasis, removal of CBD stone (via ERCP)
Management of acute cholecystitis
- Initial management:
- NPO
- Analgesics
- Antiemetics
- Empirical antibiotics: IV gentamicin + amoxicillin
- Alternative: IV Augmentin or ceftriaxone
- Stop after cholecystectomy
- Surgical management: laparoscopic cholecystectomy
Management of ascending cholangitis
- Stabilize patient as needed
- Initial management:
- NPO
- Analgesics
- Antiemetics
- Empirical antibiotics: IV gentamicin + amoxicillin
- Alternative: IV ceftriaxone
- Definitive management:
- Biliary drainage (ERCP-guided)
- Treatment of underlying cause:
- Choledocholithiasis: ERCP-guided stone extraction and cholecystectomy
- Biliary stricture: ERCP and CBD stenting
Management of appendicitis
- Initial management:
- NPO
- IV fluids, analgesia, antiemetics
- Electrolyte repletion as needed
- Screen for peritoneal signs or sepsis
- Empirical antibiotic: IV gentamicin + metronidazole + amoxicillin
- For uncomplicated appendicitis, stop after appendicectomy.
- Surgical management: emergency appendicectomy
Management of pericarditis
- Usually self-limiting
- Pharmacological therapy:
- NSAIDs: aspirin
- Consider colchicine in combination with NSAIDs
- Supportive therapy:
- Antibiotics for bacterial causes
- Immunosuppressants in autoimmune disease
- Dialysis (in case of uremia and CKD)
Management of acute liver failure
- Stabilisation (ABCDE approach)
- Immediate hemodynamic support (IV saline and/or vasopressors)
- Respiratory support (consider early intubation)
- Management of encephalopathy and increased ICP
- refer early for liver transplant
- consider lactulose + rifaximin
- neuroprotective measures
- Supportive therapy
- Electrolyte repletion and optimize nutrition
- Hemostasis: correct coagulopathy and consider stress ulcer prophylaxis (e.g. PPIs)
Management of esophageal variceal bleeds
- Primary prevention: non-selective beta blocker (e.g. propranolol) and/or band ligation
- Management
- Terlipressin or octeotride
- Emergency endoscopy:
- Band ligation
- Antibiotic prophylaxis: ceftriaxone
- Secondary prevention:
- Long-term
beta-blocker therapy - Variceal band ligation
- Regular endoscopy
- Consider TIPS placement
- Long-term
Management of carotid artery stenosis
- Medical management
- Lifestyle modification
- Long term:
- statin therapy
- antiplatelet therapy
- Surgical management
- Symptomatic: carotid revascularization if stenosis >70%
- within 14 days of symptoms onset
- Modalities:
- Carotid endarterectomy
- Carotid artery stenting
- Symptomatic: carotid revascularization if stenosis >70%
Management of otitis media
- Conservative management (observe for 48-72h)
- Rest, warm compresses, drinking fluids
- Avoiding irritants (e.g. smoke)
- Pain relief: paracetamol
- Antibiotics: recommended to relieve symptoms if have not improved
- Amoxicillin: first line
- Cefuroxime: alternative for patients with penicillin allergy
Management of allergic rhinitis
- Conservative management:
- Avoiding allergens
- Nasal saline irrigation
- Medical/pharmacological management:
- Antihistamines (e.g. loratadine)
- Intranasal corticosteroids (e.g. fluticasone)
- Immunotherapy (desensitization)
Management of acute viral hepatitis
- Lifestyle management
- Rest and adequate nutrition
- Avoidance of alcohol and other hepatotoxic substances
- Supportive therapy for acute viral hepatitis (e.g. antiemetics, IV fluids, and electrolyte replacement)
- Medical management
- Antiviral therapy for chronic viral hepatitis B and C infections
- Vaccination against hepatitis A and B for prevention of infection
Management of acute rhinosinusitis
- Symptomatic treatment
- Nasal irrigation with saline solution to help clear the sinuses
- Steam inhalation or use of a humidifier to moisten nasal passages
- Avoiding irritants (e.g. smoke)
- Medical management
- Antibiotics if bacterial infection is suspected or confirmed (e.g. amoxicillin, cefuroxime)
- Consider:
- Intranasal corticosteroids to reduce inflammation in the sinuses (e.g. fluticasone)
- Decongestants to reduce nasal congestion (e.g. pseudoephedrine)
- Pain relief: paracetamol or ibuprofen