Neurology Flashcards
Treatment for tension headaches (acute, chronic)
Acute
1. Paracetamol/ ibuprofen/ aspirin
Chronic
1. Acupuncture
Features of a migraine with aura (4) and without (4,2)
Migraine with aura At least x2 episodes between 5 ad 60 minutes 1. Visual sx 2. Change in speech 3. Sensory sx 4. Fully reversible
Without At least x5 attacks lasting 4-72 hours 1. Unilateral 2. Unable to do day to day activities 3. Throbbing/pulsatile 4. Mod/severe pain AND At least x1 of: 1. N&V 2. Phonophobia/ photophobia
Management of migraines (acute 2, prophylaxis 4)
Acute
- Triptan PO +/- paracetamol/ ibuprofen/ aspirin
- Metoclopramide/ prochlorperazine
Prophylaxis
- Propranalol OR topiramate OR amitryptilline
- Behavioural interventions OR riboflavin
Features of temporal arteritis (6) Management (1) Where is it tender? One or two sides? Age? Onset speed Blood finding Other symptom
Features 1. Tender/ palpable temporal artery 2. Unliateral 3. >60yo 4. Rapid onset <1 month 5. Jaw claudication 6. Raised ESR Management Emergency 1. Prednisolone 60mg PO tapering over 1-2 years
Features (4) and management of trigeminal neuralgia (1)
Features 1. Worse on chewing/ brushing hair/ light touch 2. Lasts a few seconds to minutes 3. Unilateral 4. Severe electric shock like pains Treatment 1. Carbamezapine
Features of MS
visual (3), sensory (2), motor (2), cerebellar (2), other (2)?
Visual 1. Optic neuritis 2. Optic atrophy 3. Uhthoff's phenomenon (worsening of vision on neck flexion) Sensory 4. Pins and needles 5. Lhermitte's syndrome (parasthesia in limbs on neck flexion) Motor 6. Spasticity 7. Weakness Cerebellar 8. Ataxia 9. Tremor Other 10. Urinary incontinence 11. Sexual dysfunction
Name three types of MS Diagnosis definition Management acute (1), chronic (4)
Types
- Relapsing-remitting (RR)
- Primary progressive - deteriorate from onset
- Secondary progressive - deteriorating on BG of RR
Diagnosis
1. x2 relapses with x2 objective clinical evidence
OR
2. x1 objective clinical evidence of lesion with x1 reasonable evidence of prev relapse
Mx
Acute
1. High dose steroids - methylpred for 5/7 (to reduce duration)
Chronic
- Beta interferon
- Glatiremer acitate
- Natalizumab
- Fingolimod
Menstrual migraine management (2)
- Frovatriptan OR
2. Zolmitriptan
Features (6) and treatment acute (2) and prophylaxis (2) of cluster headaches
Features 1. M>F 2. Smokers 3. Unilateral (always same side), periorbital 4. Ptosis and miosis 5. Lacrimation/ redness 6. Nasal congestion Management Acute 1. 100% oxygen 2. SC triptan (sumo) Prophylaxis 1. Verapamil 2. +/- Prednisolone tapering dose
Symptomatic management of MS
Fatigue (2)
Spasticity (3)
Oscillopsia (1)
Fatigue
- Amantadine
- CBT
Spasticity
- Baclofen OR gabapentin
- Diazepam/ dantrolene/ tizanidine
- Physio
Oscillopsia
1. Gapapentin
Sx of anterior cerebral infarct (1)
Contralateral hemiparesis and sensory loss of lower extremities > upper
Sx of middle cerebral artery infarct (3)
Contralateral hemiparesis and sensory loss upper extremities > lower
Contralateral homonomous hemianopia
Aphasia
Posterior cerebral artery infarct (2)
Contralateral homonomous hemianopia with macular sparing
Visual agnosia
Basilar artery infarct (pons) (1)
Locked in syndrome
Weber’s syndrome (branches of PCA that supply the midbrain) (2)
Ipsilateral CN III palsy
Contralateral hemiparesis of upper and lower extremity
Posterior inferior cerebellar artery (lateral medullary syndrome) (4)
- Ipsilateral face pain and temperature loss
- Contralateral torso and trunk pain and temperature loss
- Ataxia
- Nystagmus
Anterior inferior cerebellar artery (lateral pontine syndrome) (4)
- Ipsilateral facial paralysis deafness
- Contralateral torse/ trunk pain and temperature loss
- Nystagmus
- Ataxia
Lacunar (2)
- Isolated hemiparesis/ hemisensory loss/ hemiparesis with limb ataxia
- Strong assoc HTN
Retinal/ Ophthalmic Artery
Amaurosis fugax (painless total loss of vision)
Oxford Stroke Classification/ Bamford (3)
- Hemiparesis/ hemisensory loss
- Homonomous hemianopia
- Congnitive dysfunction
TACI, PACI, POCI, LACI
TACI - total anterior circulation infarct
Involves MCA + ACA (all 3)
- unilateral hemiparesis and/or hemisensory loss of the face, arm & leg
- homonymous hemianopia
- higher cognitive dysfunction e.g. dysphasia
PACI - partial anterior circulation infarct
Small arteries of anterior circulation (MCA+ACA)
2 of 3 criteria
1. unilateral hemiparesis and/or hemisensory loss of the face, arm & leg
2. homonymous hemianopia
3. higher cognitive dysfunction e.g. dysphasia
LACI lacunar infarcts
Involves perforating arteries around internal capsule, thalamus, basal ganglia
1 of below
1. unilateral weakness (and/or sensory deficit) of face and arm, arm and leg or all three.
2. pure sensory stroke.
3. ataxic hemiparesis
POCI posterior circulation infarct
Which artery?
Features (3)
Vertebrobasilar artery 1 of following 1. cerebellar or brainstem syndromes 2. loss of consciousness 3. isolated homonymous hemianopia
Features of haemorrhagic stroke (4)
- Decreased level of consciousness
- Headache
- N+V
- Seizures
Criteria for thrombolysis for ischaemic stroke (2)
- Within 4.5hrs of onset of symptoms
2. Nil hx of preeclampsia/ pregnancy/ intracranial haemorrhage
Acute stroke investigation and management If ischaemic --> If secondary to AF --> If cholesterol raised --> Offer thrombectomy -->
CT to rule out haemorrhagic stroke
If ischaemic - 300mg aspirin
If secondary to AF - anticoagulation not to be started for 2 weeks, 300mg aspirin in the interim
If cholesterol >3.5 start on statin
Offer thrombectomy if:
1. confirmed occlusion of the proximal anterior circulation demonstrated by CTA/MR within 6 hours of onset
OR
2. confirmed occlusion of the proximal anterior circulation demonstrated by CTA/ MR AND potential to salvage brain tissue if within 24 hours of onset
For all other locations consider if within 24 hours
Stroke
Secondary prevention treatment (4)
- Clopidogrel 75mg OD
If contrainidicated - MR dipyridamole + aspirin
PLUS
- Statin
- Antihypertensives
Criteria for carotid artery endarterectomy for stroke treatment (2)
- Not severely disabled
2. Carotid stenosis must be >70% (or 50% in different source)
TIA management
Acute (1)
TIA <1 week
TIA >1 week
- Aspirin 300mg
- If has had TIA within 1 week, refer for urgent specialist assessment within 24 hours
- If has had TIA >1 week ago, refer for specialist assessment within a week
Blood supply to cranial nerves
Midbrain
Pons
Medulla
Midbrain
III, IV
Pons
V, VI, VII, VIII
Medulla
IX, X, XI, XII
Management of epilepsy
Generalised tonic clonic
1. (1)
2. (2)
- Sodium valproate
- Lamotrogine/ carbamezapine
TLC
Management of epilepsy
Absence seizures
1. (2)
- Sodium valproate/ ethosuximide
AbScencE
Management of epilepsy
Myoclonic
1. (1)
2. (2)
- Sodium valproate
- Clonazepam, lamotrogine
MyoCLonic
Management of epilepsy
Focal seizures
1. (2)
2. (3)
- carbamazepine/ lamotrigine
2. levetiracetam/ oxcarbazepine/ sodium valproate
Carbamazepine can exacerbate which two types of seizures
- Myoclonic
2. Abscence
Myoclonic and abscence seizures are exacerbated by which antiepileptic?
Carbamazepine
Commonest causes/type of dementia (3)
- Alzheimers
- Vascular
- Lew body
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
Symptoms (4)
Caused by build up of ____ (1)
Variant caused by ______ (1)
- loss of intellect and memory
- changes in personality
- loss of balance and co-ordination
- progressive loss of brain function and mobility
Caused by build up of prions
Variant CJD - caused by contamination of meat
Vascular dementia Sub types (3)
- Stroke related VD - multi or single infarct
- Subcorticol VD - small vessel disease
- Mixed (AD +VD)
Vascular dementia
Features (8)
- Stepwise deterioration
- Seizures
- Mood changes
- Reduced attention/ concentration
- Motor/ sensory loss
- Memory disturbance
- Speech disturbance
- Gait disturbance
Diagnosis for VD using NINDS-AIREN criteria (3)
- Cognitive decline
- using clinical examination and neuropsychological testing - CVD
- through neuro exam OR
- imaging (MRI) - Association between the above two
- onset of symptoms within three months following stroke
- stepwise progression
- abrupt deterioration in cognitive functions