Monitoring Flashcards
What risk are statins associated with?
Myopathy
What are the classic side effects of vancomycin?
Ototoxicity and nephrotoxicity
What is a rare side effect of vancomycin?
Thrombocytopenia and neutropenia
What do you check before starting statins in patients with risk factors for myopathy
Creatinine kinase
What do you check before starting statins for patients with no risk factors for myopathy? Why?
Statins are metabolised by the liver, so contraindicated in liver disease or 3x normal transaminases (ALT and AST)
How often should LFTs be checked after starting statins?
At 3 months, then 12 months
What longterm complication is methotrexate associated with?
Liver cirrhosis
How is methotrexate excreted?
Renally
How does sodium depletion affect lithium?
Increases risk of toxicity
What can carbimazole cause?
Acute pancreatitis
What should be measured in a thyroid assessment for patients on amiodarone?
T3, TSH and T4
What is a known side effect of amiodarone?
Raised serum transaminases and acute liver dysfunction
How is gentamicin excreted?
Renally so monitoring is required
How does hypokalaemia affect digoxin?
Increases the risk of toxicity
What can valproate cause?
Pancreatitis
What is sodium valproate associated with?
Hepatotoxicity
How should FBC be monitored for clozapine?
Weekly for first 18 weeks, then fortnightly for up to one year, and then monthly
What are the causes of microcytic anaemia?
Iron deficiency
Thalassaemia
Sideroblastic anaemia
What are the causes of normocytic anaemia?
Anaemia of chronic disease
Acute blood loss
Haemolytic anaemia
Renal failure (chronic)
Causes of macrocytic anaemia
B12/folate deficiency Excess alcohol Liver disease Hypothyrodism Myleloproliferative, myelodysplastic, multiple myeloma
What are the causes of high neutrophils?
Bacterial infection
Tissue damage
Steroids
Causes of low neutrophils
Viral infection
Chemotherapy or radiotherapy
Clozapine
Carbimazole
Causes of high lymphocytes
Viral infection
Lymphoma
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia
Causes of thrombocytopenia
Reduced production: infection drugs (penicillamine) myelodysplasia, myelofibrosis myeloma
Increased destruction: Heparin Hypersplenism DIC ITP Haemolytic uraemic syndrome / thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura