Neuro 3 LURN: Adverse Neurological Conditions Flashcards
What is meningitis?
Inflammation of the meninges (membranes around the brain and spinal cord)
What is the patho of meningitis?
- Infectious organisms enter the CNS through the bloodstream or gain access directly (thru trauma).
- Viral meningitis typically resolves w/out tx
- Bacterial meningitis is contagious and potentially fatal
What are the risk factors for meningitis?
- Crowded conditions
- Immunosuppression
- Travel exposure
What vaccines are available for meningitis?
- Hib vaccine (for infants)
- Meningococcal vaccine (given to students living in dorms)
- Pneumococcal vaccine
What are the s/s of meningitis?
- Fever, HA, N/V,
- Tachycardia
- Nucal rigidity
- Photophobia
- Positive Kernig’s and Bruzinski’s signs
- Altered mental status
- Seizures
What is Kernig’s sign?
Severe stiffness of the hamstrings causes an inability to straighten the leg when the hip is flexed to 90 degrees.
What is Bruzinski’s sign?
Severe neck stiffness causes a patient’s hips and knees to flex when the neck is flexed
What lab is used to for confirmation of type of meningitis?
- CSF analysis
- Bacterial
- Cloudy, ↓ glucose, ↑ protein and WBCs, positive gram stain
- Viral
- Clear, usually normal glucose levels, slightly ↑ protein and WBCs, negative gram stain
What medication tx is used with meningitis?
- Abx (for bacterial)
- Anticonvulsants
- Analgesics
What precautions are used for suspected/confirmed bacterial meningitis during the first 24hrs of abx therapy?
Droplet precautions
What is the nursing care for meningitis?
- Implement seizure precautions
- Monitor neuro status
- Provide quiet, dim room
- Minimize increased ICP
- HOB 30°
- Head midline
- Minimize suctioning
What is multiple sclerosis (MS)?
- Autoimmune disorder where plague develops in white matter of the CNS
- Characterized by periods of relapsing and remitting
What is meant by relapsing and remitting w/ MS?
- With this type, you have flare-ups of the disease, or relapses.
- Between these flare-ups, you have periods of recovery, or remissions.
- Most people diagnosed with MS start off with the relapsing-remitting type
What is the patho of MS?
Immune system dysfunction causes destruction of myelin, nerve fibers and neurons in the brain and spinal cord
General risk factors for MS?
- Female
- 20-40 yrs
