Neuro Flashcards
ddx for adolescent syncope metabolic disturbance (3) neuro (4) cvd (1) tox (1)
metabolic disturbance
- hypoglycaemia
- hypotension secondary to dehydration
- hyponatraemia
neuro
- epilepsy
- head trauma
- subarachnoid haemorrhage
- meningitis
cardiac arrhythmia
recreational drug use
key features of history for adolescent syncope personal (3) neuro (6) CVD (3) vitals (1)
personal
- fhx epilepsy
- food intake that day, water intake that day
- recreational drug use
fever
neuro sx.
- tongue biting during syncope
- post ictal confusion following period of unconsciousness
- urinary incontinence during syncope
- neurological weaknesses or sensation changes
- recent head trauma
- headache
CVD
- chest pain immediately prior
- sob immediately prior
- palpitations
peripheral neuropathy - ddx
‘DAMIT BITCH’
diabetic neuropathy
alcohol abuse
medication SE - amiodarone, nitrofurantoin, phenytoin, CTX, levodopa
Inflammatory - Guilliane barre syndrome
Tumours - paraneoplastic syndrome
B12 deficiency - alcoholics, pernicious anaemia, coeliacs, sleeve gastrectomy
Infection - HIV, Hep C, leprosy
Trauma
Connective tissue disorders - SLE, polyarteritis nodosa
Hereditary - Charcot marie tooth
diabetic autonomic neuropathy - key features
CVD (2)
GI (2)
urology(2)
CVD
- orthostatic hypotension
- cardiac autonomic neuropathy - resting tachycardia, bradycardia
GI
- gastroparesis
- diarrhoea
urology
- erectile dysfunction
- urinary retention
Rx for painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy
amitriptyline 25mg nocte increase to 150mg
duloxetine 60mg mane, increase to 60mg bd
gabapentin 300mg up to 1200mg per day
pregabalin 75mg bd, increase to 300mg bd
fits, faints, funny turns - key features on hx
any preceding symptoms - sob, headache, recent illness, heart palps, recent head trauma, auras
onset - sudden, slow
does patient remember event
did they lose consciousness
events after episode - urine incontinence, tongue biting, post ictal drowsiness or confusion
PMHx - epilepsy fainting, cvd, dmt, CVD, previous TIA/CVA
Fhx epilepsy
ddx for epilepsy
psych (2)
gen med (2)
neuro (3)
psych
- vasovagal
- pseudoseizure
cardiac arrhythmia
metabolic disturbance
neuro
- TIA
- migraine
- narcolepsy
causes of provoked seizures brain (3) systemic (3) tox (2) wildcard (1)
brain - CVA - trauma - meningitis (infection) systemic - hyponatramia - hypoglycaemia - hypercalcaemia tox - ETOH withdrawal - synthetic cannabinoids (and probably other drugs)
pregnancy - eclampsia
things to look for in examination post fit faint funny turn
- general (3)
- neuro (3)
- CVD (4)
general - fever - cervical spine tenderness on examination neuro - neck stiffness - papillodema - CN exam abnormalities CVD - carotid bruit - orthostatic hypotension (BP, sitting/standing) - irregular pulse - murmurs (heart sounds)
Initial ix for fit faint funny turns
BSL FBC UEC \+/- ECG CT head MRI brain EEG
nonmedication management advice following seizure (7)
no driving until 6/12 episode free no driving 12/12 if dx epilepsy no bathe or swimming alone no working at heights no abseiling, water sports, operating heavy machinery seizure 1st aid education mx of status epilepticus
Multiple sclerosis - key features examination optic (3) general neuro (2) motor neuron (4) brainstem (2)
optic - reduced monoocular blurred vision VA - central scotomata - loss of red color vision general - unilateral neuro SOS - unilateral numbness parasthesia
UMN
- unilateral spastic paresis - weakness, no muscle atrophy
- increased tone no fasiculations or fibrillations
- hyperreflexia - deep tendon reflexes
- positive babinski/upgoing plantar reflex
brainstem
- ataxic gait
- internuclear opthalmoplegia
multiple sclerosis - key investigations
MRI brain + spine with contrast - MS lesions
CSF electrophoresis - oligoclonal bands raised IgG
Evoked vision potential studies
Multiple sclerosis - McDonald dx criteria (4)
objective evidence of 2 or more lesions
disseminated in time and space
with no better explanation for cause
2 x separate episodes, 2 separate CNS regions
Multiple sclerosis - ddx for clinically isolated syndrome (acute demyelination)
neuro (3)
nutritional (1)
infection (2)
other (2)
neuro
- migraine
- cerebral tumour
- spinal cord compression
nutritional - b12 deficiency infection - HIV - syphilis
other
- paraneoplastic syndromes
- psychiatric distress/somatisation
myasthenia gravis - key investigations (3)
anti-acetylcholine receptor antibodies +ve
CT scan chest/thorax - detect thyoma or thyroid tumour
Electromyography - EMG
myasthenia gravis - key features Hx
painless fatigue with exercise
weakness precipitated by stress - cyesis, infection, surgery, emotional
fluctuating symptoms
variable severity of muscle weakness
variable distribution of muscle weakness:
ocular - diplopia,
dysphagia, difficulty chewing, dysphonia/speech, difficulty whistling
limbs proximal to distal, generalised weakness
resp - sob, breathlessness
a/w other autoimmune diseases - SLE, RA, thyroid, pernicious anaemia
FHx
PMHx