Neurology Flashcards
What are some metabolic causes of a coma?
Drug overdose
Hypoglycaemia
Hypercalcaemima
A coma can also be caused by damage to the brain. Give some examples of damage to the brain which can cause coma.
Head injury
Meningitis
SAH
Encephalitis
Epilepsy
A coma can also be caused by damage to A SPECIFIC AREA of the brain. Give some examples of this.
Cerebral infarct
Cerebral haemorrhage
Subdural haemorrhage
Extradural haemorrhage
Abscess
Tumour
Brainstem injury can also cause a coma. What are some examples of this?
Brainstem infarct
Tumour
Abscess
Cerebellar haemorrhage
Cerebellar infarct
What is a vegetative state?
When there has been overwhelming injury to the brain, but the brainstem is still working. There is vast destruction of the other intellectual processes so they are still alive, but they cannot communicate.
What is brainstem death?
The individual cannot survive without artificial intervention because the brainstem is damaged.
What is locked in syndrome?
Ventral pons in the brainstem is damaged, so the patient can still breathe and survive without artificial life support but they can’t move at all.
What is the definition of a seizure?
Paradoxical discharge of cerebral neurons which is apparent to an external observer (e.g. generalised seizure) or as an abnormal perceptual experience by the subject.
What is epilepsy?
A recurrent tendency to have seizures.
You need at least 2 seizures to be an epileptic.
What can you give for status epilepticus?
Rectal diazepam
Buccal midazolam
IV lorazepam
What are some differentials for an acute single headache?
Febrile illness
First attack of migraine
Trauma
Meningitis
What are some differentials for recurrent headache?
Migraine
Cluster headache
Episodic tension headache
Trigeminal or post-herpetic neuralgia
What can trigger a headache?
Coughing, straining
Sexual intercourse
Food and drink
What are some differentials of a dull headache which increases in severity?
Overuse of medication e.g. codeine
HRT, contraceptive pill
Neck disease
Temporal arteritis
Benign intracranial hypertension
Cerebral tumour
If a patient says that they feel dizzy, how would you try and categorise it?
Vertigo
Syncope
Hypotension
Hypoglycaemia
Epilepsy
Migraine