Neurology Flashcards
Symptoms of middle cerebral artery stroke?
More upper extremity weakness
- aphasia
- apraxia/neglect
- Eyes deviate toward side of lesion
- Contralateral homonymous hemianopsia
Contraindications to thrombolytic therapy in acute stroke?
- Current or hx of hemorrhagic stroke
- Intracranial mass or neoplasms
- Active bleeding or surgery in the past 6 weeks
- Presence of bleeding disorder
- Traumatic CPR within the past 3 weeks
- Suspicion for aortic dissection
- Cerebral trauma or brain surgery in past 6 months
Management of status epilepticus?
- Benzos (ativan)
- Fosphenytoin
- Phenobarbital
- General anesthetic (pentobarbital, thiopental, midazolam or propofol)
First line agents for long-term management of seizures?
Valproic acid, carbamazepine, phenytoing, levetiracetam (keppra). Also lamotrigine, but higher risk of stevens-johnson syndrome.
Second line agents for long-term management of seizures?
Gabapentin and phenobarbital
Best agent for absence or petit mal seizures?
Ethosuximide
Parkinson under age 60, best treatment for mild symptoms?
Anticholinergics (Benztropine)
First line agent for severe Parkinson’s?
Levodopa/Carbadopa or dopamine agonists (Pramipexole, ropinirole, cabergoline)
Second line agents for severe Parkinsons?
COMT inhibitors (Tolcapone, entacapone), MAO inhibitors (Selegiline, Rasagiline), can also do deep brain stimulation in severe refractory cases.
CT or MRI for if suspicious of Multiple Sclerosis?
MRI. CT is rarely useful
If MRI non-diagnostic of multiple sclerosis, what do you do next and what are you looking for?
Lumbar puncture, looking for oligoclonal bands
Initial and long-term management for multiple sclerosis?
Initial - Steroids
Long-term - Beta interferon, glatiramer, mitoxantrone, or natalizumab
Memory loss in an older patient, tests to order?
CT head, B12, TSH, RPR or VDRL
First and second line treatment for alzheimer’s?
First line - Anticholinesterase (donepezil, rivastigmine, galantamine)
Second line - Memantine
Rapidly progressive dementia and presence of myoclonus in a relatively young patient, diagnosis?
Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease
Work-up for Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease?
EEG, MRI (not usually helpful). Definitive diagnosis is brain biopsy. Can also do lumbar puncture to look for 14-3-3 protein in CSF.
Patient with involuntary closure of the eye triggered by light and cigarette smoke, diagnosis and treatment?
Blepharospasms (a focal dystonia). Treated with botox.
Urinary Incontinence, AMS, ataxia. Diagnosis?
Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus
Migraine triggers?
Cheese, caffeine, menstruation, OCPs
Best abortive therapy, best prophylactic therapy for migraines?
Abortive - Sumatriptan or Ergotamine
Prophylaxis - beta-blockers (propranolol)
Alternate prophylaxis - CCB, TCAs, SSRIs
Characterestic of cluster headaches?
Unilateral with redness/tearing of the eye and rhinorrhea occurring multpile times in a short period of time
Best abortive therapy, best prophylactic therapy for cluster headaches?
Abortive - triptans, 100% oxygen
Prophylaxis - verapamil
Diagnostic testing for temporal arteritis?
ESR. Diagnostic is temporal artery biopsy
Obese young woman with headache, double vision and papilledema? Diagnosis and treatment?
Pseudotumor Cerebri
Lumbar puncture with elevated opening pressure. Treat with acetazolamide, weight loss, vp shunts for refractory cases.
High suspicion for temporal arteritis and elevated ESR. Next step?
Immediate high dose steroids, delay may cause vision loss.
Vertigo with change in position. No hearing problems or ataxia. Diagnosis? Physical exam finding associated with this? Treatment?
Benign positional vertigo
Positive Dix-Halpike maneuver
Treat with Meclizine (antivert)
Vertigo not associated with change in position. No hearing problems or ataxia. Diagnosis?
Vestibular Neuritis
Acute vertigo with hearing loss and tinnitus. Diagnosis?
Labyrinthitis. Also responds to meclizine.