My common mistakes Flashcards
MDMA (ecstasy) poisoning is associated with…
Hyponatraemia
N-Acetylcysteine commonly causes what type of reaction?
Anaphylactoid reaction (non-IgE mediated mast cell release)
For DMT2 when is metformin contraindicated?
eGFR <30
What is the most highly negatively inotropic CCB? (weakens heart contractions- slows HR)
Verapamil
Key investigation for suspected CO poisoning?
ABG- carboxyhaemoglobin
Liver transplantation criteria in paracetamol overdose?
pH <7.3 more than 24hrs after ingestion
Patient on amiodarone (eg for AF) develops hypothyroidism?
Continue amiodarone and add levothyroxine
Double duct sign?
Pancreatic cancer
Haemochromatosis iron study profile?
Raised transferrin and ferritin, low TIBC
Upper GI bleed or lower GI bleed if high urea?
Upper- blood digested (contains protein) so increase in urea
Acute hypophosphataemia management- severe or symptomatic
IV phosphate polyfusor
Visual hallucinations with dementia
Lewy body dementia
Blood tests that form part of the confusion screen
TSH, B12, Folate & Glucose
Memantine drug class
NMDA receptor antagonist
Complications of thyroid surgery
- Recurrent laryngeal nerve damage
- Bleeding- laryngeal oedema.
- Damage to the parathyroid glands resulting in hypocalcaemia.
Ways to remember causes of nystagmus?
Horizontal nystagmus = peripheral cause (goes in direction of ears)
Vertical nystagmus = central cause (goes in direction of brain)
Difference between neuronitis and labrynthitis?
Neuronitis = No loss
Labrynthitis = Loss
Vestibular neuronitis = inflammation of the vestibular nerve, which deals with balance but not hearing
Labyrinthitis = inflammation of labyrinth, which deals with both balance AND hearing
FLUID THERAPY IN CHILDREN
FLUID THERAPY IN ADULTS
Atropine increase or decrease HR?
Increase, if fails then external pacing
Amiodarone increase or decrease HR?
Decreases HR (treats fast irregular HR)
Cause of infective endocarditis <2m post valve surgery
Staph epidermidis
Is a child is choking, why is the foreign object most likely found in right main bronchus?
Shorter, wider and more vertical
Severe anaemia is a cause of
high-output heart failure
RBBB +left anterior or posterior hemiblock + 1st-degree heart block
trifasicular block
Acute heart failure not responding to treatment
consider CPAP
Hypothermia is a cause of
Torsades de pointes
ACS: Nitrates are contraindicated in patients with
hypotension (< 90 mmHg)
‘Global’ T wave inversion (not fitting a coronary artery territory) - think
non-cardiac cause of abnormal ECG
Hypothermia causes what on ECG
J waves
Mx if V tachy leads to haemodynamic instability?
synchronised electrical cardioversion; may be followed by an amiodarone infusion when more stable to enhance the probability of achieving sinus rhythm
Lichen planus vs scleorsus?
planus: purple, pruritic, papular, polygonal rash on flexor surfaces. Wickham’s striae over surface. Oral involvement common
sclerosus: itchy white spots typically seen on the vulva of elderly women
Toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) vs Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS)?
Both severe skin reactions, TEN more severe end of spectrum.
SJS: Affects less than 10% of the body’s surface area
TEN: Affects more than 30% of the body’s surface area
erythema nodosum vs erythema multiforme?
Erythema multiforme is typically target shaped and only slightly raised. It’s not typically painful but can be itchy. They can also be on various sites of the body
Erythema nodosum is more like a raised nodule that mainly presents on the shins. It looks a bit like a bruise and it is painful.
most accurate way to asses the burns area
Lund and Browder chart
Wallace’s Rule of Nine
Each of the following is 9% of the body when calculating surface area % if a burn:
Head + neck, each arm, each anterior part of leg, each posterior part of leg, anterior chest, posterior chest, anterior abdomen, posterior abdomen
Psoriasis commonly exhibits what pgenomenon
Koebner phenomenon
What clotting factors and other components does the liver make?
1) Clotting factors= I (fibrinogen); II (prothrombin); V; VII; IX; XII; XIII (all for blood coag)
2) Albumin (transport and maintain BP)
3) Transport proteins= ceruloplasmin (transports copper) and transferrin (iron)
4) Bile salts (fat digestion)
5) Bilirubin (from RBC breakdown)
6) Glucose (through gluconeogenesis and glycogen storage/release)
7) Lipids (cholesterol, trigly and lipoproteins)
8) Detoxification products (ammonia to urea & drug metabolism)
9) Hormones= angiotensinogen and thrombopoietin
Role of angiotensinogen and thrombopoietin?
A= BP regulation
T= platelet production
What blood tests would you do to investigate the liver?
1) LFTs (enzymes & proteins):
- ALT & AST
- ALP
- GGT
- Bilirubin (total & direct)= direct is conjug and indirect is unconjug
- Albumin
- Total protein
2) Clotting screen= INR or PT
3) Viral serology= hep A, B, C, E
4) Autoantibodies= AMA, ANA, Anti-SMA
5) Ceruloplasmin
6) Ferritin and transferrin
7) Paracetamol levels
8) Alpha-1 antitrypsin
9) Tissue Transglutaminase antibody
10) Ammonia levels
Overall tests to measure kidney function?
1) Bloods= serum creatinine; blood urea nitrogen (BUN); eGFR; serum uric acid
2) Urine= eg. urinalysis; protein, albumin, glucose, blood, bacteria
3) Imaging= USS, CT or MRI
What does high serum creatinine indicate about kidney function?
impaired.
Creatinine= waste product from muscle metabolism in blood
What does elevated uric acid levels indicate about kidney function?
kidney disease or gout
What does proteinuria indicate about kidney function?
damage or disease
What does high urine albumin indicate about kidney function?
Damage eg. in diabetes or HTN
Budd-Chiari Ix- way to remember?
(pt presents with abdo pain, tender hepatomegaly and ascites- basically a painful swollen liver)
USS with doppler.
basically a ‘liver DVT’ , being a hepatic vein thrombosis.
The ‘painful, swollen calf’ is essentially just a painful swollen liver (abdo pain, tender hepatomegaly) + ascites due to venous obstruction.
They also have exactly the same gold standard investigation in Doppler Ultrasound!
Hepatocellular disease LFTs?
ALT= raised at least 2 fold
ALP= normal
ALT/ALP= 5+
Chlestatic disease LFTs?
ALT= normal
ALP= raised at least 2-fold
ALT/ALP= <2
LFTs in mixed disease (hepatocellular + cholestatic)?
ALT= raised at least 2-fold
ALP= raised at least 2-fold
ALT/ALP= 2-5
ALP, AST and ALT produced by what?
AST & ALT produced by hepatocytes; in hepatocellular disease, hepatocytes release these enzymes into blood so get raised ALT.
ALP produced by cells lining bile duct so in obstructive disease ALP rises.
Summary of liver enzymes in LFTs?
ALT = correspond to hepatocytes
AST = correspond to hepatocytes, cardiac cells, and muscle cells
ALP = correspond to biliary system (bile ducts) & various tissues in the body eg. bones
GGT= more specific version of ALP in terms of biliary system; also indicates pt drinks alcohol
deranged LFTs combined with secondary amenorrhoea in a young female
autoimmune hepatitis
C.diff Mx
1st: oral vancomycin
2nd: if doesn’t work then oral fidazomicin
OR IF SEVERE (eg. hypotension, shock) or doesn’t respond to above= oral vanc + IV metronidazole
Maintain remission in UC if have had a severe relapse or >=2 exacerbations in past yr?
oral azathioprine or oral mercaptopurine
Metoclopramide MOA?
antagonism of D2 dopamine receptors
Electrolyte disturbances in refeeding syndrome?
hypophosphataemia, hypokalaemia and hypomagnesaemia
Receding bleeding gums
think scurvy
What electrolyte disturbance can PPIs cause?
hyponatraemia
Primary biliary cholangitis- M rule?
IgM
anti-Mitochondrial antibodies, M2 subtype
Middle aged females
How long should pts not eat gluten for before they get endoscopic intestinal biopsy to diagnose coeliac?
6w
Most common site affected in Crohn’s
ileum
How to stop uncontrolled variceal haemorrhage?
Sengstaken-Blakemore tube
1st line Ix for acute mesenteric ischaemia?
Lactate= raised
Liver + neuro disease?
think Wilson’s
Mneumonic to remember causes of erythema nodosum?
NO - idiopathic
D - drugs (penicillin sulphonamides)
O - oral contraceptive/pregnancy
S - sarcoidosis/TB
U - ulcerative colitis/Crohn’s disease/Behçet’s disease
M - microbiology (streptococcus, mycoplasma, EBV and more)
Reversible causes for cardiac arrest?
H.ypothermia
H.ypovolaemia
H.ypoxia
H.yperkalaemia
T.hrombus
T.oxins
T.ension pneumothorax
T.amponade
ALS for VF/pulseless VT?
single shock followed by CPR
ALS if cardiac arrest is witnessed in monitored pt eg. coronary care unit and is in VF/pulseless VT?
Up to 3 quick successive shocks rather than 1, then CPR
What is first like and should always be attempted in ALS?
IV access
if can’t achieve then give drugs IO
Role of adrenaline in ALS?
1mg given as soon as possible for non-shockable rhythms
shockable rhythms= 1mg once restart chest compressions after the third shock
repeat adrenaline 1mg every 3-5mins whilst ALS continues
Role of amiodarone in ALS?
300mg given to pt in VF/pulseless VT after 3 shocks have been given.
then further 150mg given after 5 shocks, then 7 ect.
lidocaine can be an alternative
When should thrombolytic drugs be given in ALS and how long should CPR continue for?
is PE suspected.
continue CPR for extended period of 60-90mins