Neurology Flashcards
List six medications that can be used for migraine prophylaxis?
- Beta blockers,
- Tricyclics
- CCBs
- NSAIDs
- Valproic acid
A patient presents with what appears to be an inability to understand speech. Which aphasia should be at the top of your differential?
Wernicke’s aphasia
A patient presents with facial paresis, arm drift and abnormal speech. What are the first three tests to order?
- Non- contrast CT or MRI
- Glucose levels
- O2 Saturation
A patient is brought in following a seizure in which she did not lose consciousness. What is the most likely diagnosis?
Simple partial seizure
A patient is having a stroke and there is no evidence of hemorrhage. What is the first line medical treatment?
Within the first 48 hours and with no contraindications thrombolytics should be given.
A patient presents with a painful ipsilateral third nerve palsy. What is the most likely diagnosis?
Posterior communicating artery aneurysm (PComA)
What seizure medication may cause overgrowth of the gums?
Phenytoin
A sudden thunderclap headache should make you think of what diagnosis?
Subarachnoid hematoma
Describe Kernig’s sign.
The patient lies supine, flex hip while keeping knee straight. Back pain is positive.
Imaging is negative for blood, but you strongly believe that there is a subarachnoid hemorrhage. What test can you order that will be definitive?
Lumbar puncture
A patient presents with a lateralized throbbing headache. He is also complaining of nausea, vomiting and photophobia. What type of headache is most likely?
Migraine
A middle age male presents with unilateral periorbital headaches occurring daily for several weeks. These headaches are extremely painful. Which type of headache is the most likely cause?
Cluster headache
List three drugs that treat cluster headaches.
Initially:
- Oxygen
- Triptans
Acute w/o response to O2 or Triptans:
- Octreotide
- Intranasal lidocaine
- Ergotamine
Chronic:
- Verapamil
Episodic:
- Prednisone
A 34 year old presents with symptoms which are relapsing and remitting over the past few weeks. These include visual problems and weakness in her right arm. What is the most likely diagnosis?
Multiple sclerosis
A patient has a tremor with motion in his hands. What medication might you prescribe?
This patient has an active tremor. A beta blocker like propranolol is a good start.
A shuffling gait should make you think of what diagnosis?
Parkinson’s disease
Give two classes of drug therapy for treating Parkinson’s.
Dopaminergic (levodopa), anticholinergics are second line
Decreased GABA and substance P should make you think of what diagnosis?
Huntington’s
Is Huntington’s autosomal dominant or recessive?
Dominant
A patient presents with weakness that he has felt in his lower legs and now feels in his knees and hips bilaterally. He has decreased deep tendon reflexes. This has been getting progressively worse. What is the most likely diagnosis?
Guillain-Barre
What percentage of strokes are ischemic? What percentage are hemorrhagic?
80%, 20%
You believe a patient has had a stroke. He presents with aphasia, loss of hearing in one ear and loss of vision in his left eye. Is the blockage likely in the anterior or posterior circulation?
Posterior
Under what conditions would aspirin or clopidogrel be used following a TIA as prophylaxis?
These are antiplatelet medications. They would be used unless there is a known cardiac etiology for the embolism. Patients with a cardiac cause should use heparin or Coumadin.
A patient who is asymptomatic should consider having an endarterectomy at what percent blockage of the carotid artery? How about in a symptomatic patient?
70% in an asymptomatic patient and greater than 60% in a symptomatic patient.
A patient presents complaining of the worst headache of his life. What might you expect their blood pressure to be?
Typically this is the description for a subarachnoid hemorrhage. You would expect the blood pressure to be elevated.
Name one abortive drug for migraines.
Triptans (sumatriptan, zolmitriptan), ergotamine
An EEG showing focal rhythmic discharges at the onset of the seizure should make you think of what diagnosis?
Simple partial seizure