Neuro: Headaches, Haemorrhages & Oncology Flashcards
Severe orbital-temporal pain around eye
Short (30 mins)
10 - 30 X per day
Paroxysmal hemicrania
Management for Paroxysmal hemicrania
Idomethacin
Unilateral Red, swollen + watery eye Miosis (pinpoint pupil) Ptosis (Drooping of the eyelid) Nasal discharge/stuffiness Facial sweating Severe pain around eye
Once or twice per day
Last 15 mins - 2 hours per episode
Continue for 4 - 12 weeks
Cluster headaches
- triggered by strong smells / exercise
Acute management for cluster headaches
Triptans
- Sumatriptan
High flow O2
Prophylactic management for cluster headaches
Verapamil
Lithium
Prednisolone
Headache worse when upright
Associated with Marfan’s
Spontaneous Intracranial Hypotension
- due to CSF leak
- pachymeningeal (dural) enhancement on MRI
- conservative tx
Unilateral headache in trigeminal area
10 - 20 per day
30s each episode
Trigeminal neuralgia
“suicide disease” - as so painful
- 10% bilateral
Management of trigeminal neuralgia
Carbamazepine
Bilateral headache
“band around head”
Recurrent
Tension headache
Headache behind eyes and nose
Sinusitis
Scalp tenderness
> 60 years old
Associated with polymyalgia rheumatica
Giant Cell Arteritis “Temporal arteritis”
Pain at back of neck
Cervical spondylosis
Unilateral throbbing pain Preceded by prodrome + aura Lasts all day Resolves with sleep Nausea + vomiting Limb weakness
Migraine
Features of migraine aura
Transient hemianopia disturbance “jagged crescent”
Sparks in vision
Photophobia
- Develops hours before onset of pain
Triggers of migraine
CHOCOLATE
Chocolate Hangovers Orgasms Cheese + Caffeine Oral contraception Lie ins Alcohol (red wine) Travel Exercise
Acute management of migraines
Triptans (Sumatriptan) + NSAIDs
Metoclopramide
Prochlorperazine
Prophylactic management of Migraines
- Topiramate (avoid in pregnancy, risk of cleft palate)
- Propranolol (avoid in asthmatics)
- Riboflavin
Give when > 2 attacks per month
Management for menstrual migraine
Fovatriptan
Zolmitriptan
Excessive volume of CSF caused by an imbalance between CSF + absorption
Hydrocephalus
Child:
- Increased head circumference
- Bulging fontanelle
- Sunsetting or eyes (impaired upward gaze)
- Dilated scalp veins
Adult:
- Morning headache (or upon lying down)
- Nausea + vomiting
- Papilloedema
- Coma
Hydrocelphalus
Causes of hydrocephalus
Obstructive (non-communicating)
- tumours
- SAH
- aqueduct stenosis
Non-obstructive (communicating)
- Increased production of CSF (choroid plexus tumour)
- Failure of reabsorption at arachnoid granulations)
- meningitis
- post-haemorrhage - Normal pressure hydrocephalus
Enlarged ventricles in brain (4th) Normal ICP Dementia (reversible) Incontinence Disturbed gait
Normal pressure hydrocephalus
Investigations of hydrocephalus
CT
MRI
LP (not in obstructive as can cause herniation)
Acute management of hydrocephalus
External ventricular drain (EVD)
- drains to external bag
Long-term management of hydrocephalus
Ventriculoperitoneal shunt
- drains to peritoneum
Headache Blurred vision Papilloedema Enlarged blind spot Horizontal diplopia (CN VI palsy) Young overweight female
Idiopathic intracranial HTN
Risk factors for idiopathic intracranial HTN
Obesity Female Pregnancy COCP Steroids Tetracyclines Lithium Vit A
Management for idiopathic intracranial HTN
Weight loss Acetazolamide Topiramate Repeat LP Surgery - optic nerve sheath decompression - lumboperitoneal shunt - ventriculoperitoneal shunt
Irregular/ decreased RR
Bradycardia
HTN
Wide pulse pressure
Cushing’s triad
- seen in increased ICP
- pre-terminal event
Headache post LP
Low pressure headache
Management of low pressure headache
Caffeine + hydration
Investigation for increased ICP
Fundoscopy
- looking for papilloedema
Headache
Postural hypotension
Papilloedema
Increased ICP
Management of increased ICP
Controlled hyperventilation
Raise head to 30 degrees
Management of severe increased ICP
Prior to surgery
- IV Mannitol / furosemide
Surgery
Diagnostic criteria for migraines
5 + attacks
- need
Lasting 4 - 72 hours
- need
Unilateral Pulsating Painful Aggravated by activity -need 2/4
Nausea + vomiting
Photophobia + photophobia
- need 1/2
Not caused by another illness