MLA: GP and Primary Healthcare Flashcards
what are the features of allergic rhinitis?
sneezing, bilateral nasal obstruction, clear nasal discharge, post-nasal drip and nasal pruritus
what is the management of moderate to severe persistent symptoms/ineffective initial drug treatment of allergic rhinitis?
intranasal corticosteroids
what are the general features of haemolytic anaemia on bloods?
anaemia, reticulocytosis, low haptoglobin, raised LDH and indirect bilirubinw
what is seen on blood film in autoimmune haemolytic anaemia?
spherocytes and reticulocytes
what is warm AIHA?
most common type.- in warm AIHA the antibody (IgG) causes haemolytic best at body temperature and tends to occur in extravascular sites
what are the causes of warm AIHA?
idiopathic, autoimmune (SLE), neoplasia (lymphoma, CLL), drugs: methyldopa
what is the management of warm AIHA?
- treatment of any underlying disorder
- steroids (+/- rituximab)
which antibody is common in cold AIHA?
IgM - causes haemolytic best at 4 degrees
which type of AIHA involves haemolysis mediated by complement and is therefore more commonly intravascular?
cold AIHA
in which AIHA, do patients respond less well to steroids?
in cold AIHA
what are the causes of cold AIHA?
- neoplasia e.g. lymphoma
- infections e.g mycoplasma, EBV
which patient group have the highest prevalence of iron deficiency anaemia?
preschool-age children
what type of bleeding is the most common cause of iron deficiency anaemia in certain groups?
blood loss due to menorrhagia is the most common in pre-menopausal women, whereas GI bleeding is the most common in men and post-menopausal women
what are the features of iron deficiency anaemia?
fatigue, SOB on exertion, palpitations, pallor, nails changes (koilonychia - spoon shaped nails), hair loss, atrophic glossitis, post-cricoid webs, angular stomatitis
what does the FBC of an iron deficiency anaemia demonstrate?
hypochromic microcytic anaemia
what is important to remember about ferritin levels and iron deficiency anaemia?
serum ferritin is likely to be low as it correlates with iron stores. However, ferritin can be raised in stages of inflammation, so it is important to note that if ferritin is high, it does not rule out iron deficiency anaemia
what will happen to the level of TIBC in iron deficiency anaemia?
it will be high as a high level reflects low iron stores - transferrin saturation will be low
what is seen on blood film in IDA?
anisopoikilocytosis (RBCs of different shapes and sizes), target cells, ‘pencil’ poikilocytes
what is the difference between iron deficiency anaemia and anaemia of chronic disease on iron studies?
TIBC is high in IDA and low in AOCD, ferritin is low in IDA and high in AOCD
at are the megaloblastic causes of macrocytic anaemia?
- vitamin B12 deficiency
- folate deficiency
- secondary to MTX therapy
what are the normoblastic causes of macrocytic anaemia?
alcohol, liver disease, hypothyroidism, pregnancy, reticulocytosis, myelodysplasia, drugs: cytotoxic
what are the causes of microcytic anaemia?
iron-deficiency anaemia, thalassemia, congenital sideroblastic anaemia, anaemia of chronic disease, lead poisoning
what are anal fissures?
longitudinal or elliptical tears of the squamous lining of the distal anal canal
what are the risk factors for anal fissures?
constipation, IBD, STIs
what are the features of anal fissures?
- painful, bright red, rectal bleeding
- around 90% of them occur on the posterior midline
if anal fissures are not on the posterior midline, what needs to be considered?
other underlying causes, e.g. Crohn’s
what is the management of acute anal fissures (<1 week)?
- soften stool -> dietary advice = high fibre diet with high fluid intake
+ bulk-forming laxatives are first line - lubricants may be tried before defecation
- topical anaesthetics
- analgesia
what is the management of a chronic anal fissure?
- GTN is first-line
- if GTN is not effective after 8 week then secondary care referral should be considered for surgery (sphincterotomy) or botulinum toxin
what defines recurrent AF episodes?
when a patient has 2 or more episodes of AF