Neurology Flashcards
TIAs
always due to emboli or thrombosis
best initial diagnostic test for either stroke or TIA
head CT w/o contrast
Lesions: anterior cerebral artery
LE weakness
UE weakness
personality changes
urinary incontinence
Lesion: middle cerebral artery
UE weakness aphasia apraxia/neglect Eyes deviated TOWARD side of lesion C/L homonymous hemianopsia
Lesions: Posterior cerebral artery
prosopagnosia - inability to recognize faces
Lesion: Vertebrobasilar artery
vertigo NV "drop attacks" labile BP sensory changes in face and scalp dysarthria, dystonia vertical nystagmus
Lesion: posterior inferior cerebellar artery (lateral medullary)
ispilateral face
contralateral body
Vertigo
Horner’s syndrome
what test is needed to evaluate posterior circulation infarcts?
MRI
MRA - for brainstem
C/I: thrombolytics
hx of hemorrhagic stroke presence of intracranial neoplasm/mass active bleeding/surgery within 6 weeks presence of bleeding disorder CPR within 3 weeks suspicion of aortic dissection stroke in last year cerebral trauma/surgery within 6 months
best initial therapy for person with stroke > 3 hours
aspirin
what do you give if a person has developed a stroke while on aspirin?
switch to clopidogrel OR add dipyridamole
when do you use ticlopidine in a stroke patient?
only pts who are intolerant of both ASA and clopidogrel
s/e ticlopidine
TTP
neutropenia
important management post-TPA
neuro checks every hour
keep BP < 180/100
F/U studies to do in all stroke patients
Echo
Carotid dopplers
EKG and Holter monitor if EKG is normal
additional tests to run in a young patient (<50) with a stroke
ESR
VDRL/RPR
ANA, dsDNA
Protein C/S, factor V leiden, antiphospholipid
Management of status epilepticus
- Benzos - Ativan; repeat if still seizing after 1 min
- If seizure persists after 10-20 minutes –> Fosphenytoin
- Continues for 10-20 minutes –> Phenobarbital (Intubation/ventilation considered)
- General anesthesia –> pentobarbital, thiopental, midazolam or propofol
Tests to order in seizure patient:
- Na, Ca, glucose, creatinine and Mg levels
- Head CT
- urine tox screen
if these are negative then: - EEG
when should you get a neuro consult in a seizure patient?
all seizure patients, once the initial workup is done
what should you order if you suspect a pseudoseizure?
psych consult
PRL level - normally rises after a real seizure
which conditions mandate that you treat chronically after first seizure?
- strong family hx
- abnormal EEG
- status epilepticus
- noncorrectable precipitating cause - brain tumor
first line therapies for seizures:
valproic acid
carbamazepine
phenytoin
levitiracetam
lamotrigine - s/e
steven johnson/severe skin reactions
second line therapies for seizures
gabapentin
phenobarbital
which anti-epileptic drug is most dangerous in pregnancy
valproic acid
which side are most anti-eplipetic drugs assoc with
bone loss and osteoporosis
DX. Parkinsons
clinical
Tx. mild parkinsons symptoms
60: amantadine
s/e anticholinergics in PD
worsen memory
first line treatment for severe PD (interferes with daily living)
Dopamine agonists - pramipexole, ropinirole, cabergoline
what do you start if you have really severe disease or disease progression in PD
levodopa/carbidopa –> most effective treatment
Pt with PD being treated with levodopa develops psychosis - what do you give?
quetiapine
Pt with PD on levodopa develops on off phenomena
COMT inhibitors
Alternatives to Levodopa/carbidopa if not effective for PD
add COMT inhibitors
MAOI: selegeline, rasagiline
deep brain stimulation
Features of essential tremor (4)
- both at rest and intention
- Normal life expectancy, no other neuro sx
- AD inheritance
- Tx. Propranolol
good prognostic factors for MS
- optic neuritis
- female
- early age onset
- relapsing form of disease
best initial and most accurate diagnostic test for MS
MRI
- repeat 3 months after initiating therapy
when would you do a LP in a pt with MS
only if MRI is non-diagnostic
youll see: oligoclonal bands, T lymphocytes, elevated IgG index
best initial therapy for acute MS exacerbation
steroids
disease modifying therapy in MS
beta interferon and glatiramer
- both are teratogenic
mitoxantrone
natalizumab - may cause PML
additional meds in MS for fatigue (1) and spasticity (2)
- amantadine
2. baclofen or tizanidine
for all patients with memory loss - what do you order?
- head CT
- B12 level
- RPR/VDRL
- Thyroid function testing
Tx. alzheimers disease
donepezil, rivastigmine, galantamine
CF: Frontotemporal dementia (Picks disease)
Personality changes (disinhibition, impaired executive function, irritability), Hyperoral behavior --> memory loss is the last part to go Head CT: focal atrophy of frontal/temporal lobes
CF: Creutzfeld Jakob disease
young patient with rapidly progressive dementia and myoclonus
Dx. tests for CJD
EEG
MRI
CSF –> 14-3-3 protein
Brain biopsy = most accurate
Lewy body dementia
PD symptoms + dementia (visual hallucinations)
Dx. testing for normal pressure hydrocephalus
- Head CT
- LP
- Miller Fisher test - assess gait before and after removal of CSF
phenytoin toxicity
nystagmus on far lateral gaze
blurred vision, diplopia
ataxia, slurred speech
dizziness, drowsiness, lethargy