Neurology Notes Flashcards
3 general etiologies of stroke and which one has the worst prognosis
Emboli
Thrombi
Hemorrhage (worst prognosis)
Stroke affecting anterior circulation — possible area of deficits?
Leg/foot
Stroke affecting middle cerebral artery — possible area of deficits?
Face/arm/speech
Stroke affecting posterior circulation, which is composed vertebral arteries that come to form the basilar artery — possible deficits?
Cerebellar dysfunction, change in mental status (syncope), blindness
Regardless of presentation, in the acute phase of a stroke (within 30 minutes of presentation and within 6 hours of symptoms) the goal is rapid identification and intervention if possible. What is the first step in workup?
CT scan without contrast — to rule out hemorrhage
The first step in workup for stroke is CT without contrast to r/o hemorrhage. At that point, intervention can be considered. After initial presentation (day 2), additional testing is required to assess for cause. ______ can be done to assess cardiac valves, ________ for carotid stenosis, and ______ to assess for afib.
2D echo; carotid duplex; ECG
If the workup for stroke is uncertain, _____ is the best radiographic test to confirm stroke but is not needed.
________ is a test that can replace the carotid ultrasound and can identify causes of ischemia such as vasculitis
MRI
CT angiogram
Pt presents with focal neurologic deficit and you suspect stroke. CT scan confirms hemorrhagic stroke. What is the next step in management?
Neurosurgery — will decide to coil, clip, or craniotomy
ICU
BP control with goal systolic of <150
FFP if there is derangement in INR
Pt presents with thrombotic stroke and you determine it was d/t carotid stenosis. U/S of carotids shows >70% stenosis. What is the next step in management?
Carotid endarterectomy (or stent)
Terminology: the infarcted are is the area of brain affected by stroke that cannot be saved. The ______ is the surrounding area that can be saved with intervention
Penumbra
Indications and contraindications for tPA following stroke
Indications:
Thrombotic/embolic stroke only
Symptom onset <3 hours
Contraindications:
History of brain bleed
History of head trauma
Surgery in the last 21 days
Most strokes occur and it’s too late to do anything for them, so preventing another becomes crucial. _____ is the mainstay tx unless the pt has an allergy. If there is an allergy, use ________.
If there’s a stroke on the mainstay tx above, add a second agent, usually _______. Everyone gets an antiplatelet within 24 hours unless they get tPA.
ASA; clopidogrel
Dipyridamole
What are some conditions that require medical management to prevent stroke?
Dyslipidemia — high potency statin
Diabetes — keep a1c <7%
HTN — goal BP <130/<80
Smoking — cessation counseling
tPA’s use for strokes is greatly restricted but can actually rescue ischemic tissue and preserve the penumbra. The risk of transforming an ischemic stroke into a hemorrhagic one is high so caution must be used. What are 3 other physiologic parameters that you can control to allow the at-risk penumbra to recover?
Keep O2 sat >95%
Tight glucose control 60-100
Blood pressure - permissive hypertension (goal <220/120)
If patients present within 4.5 hours of symptom onset, or 3 hours for pts with ________, they can be considered for tPA
Diabetes
If stroke occurs due to carotid stenosis, a carotid endarterectomy can be performed. While carotid stenting can be performed, this should be reserved for pts who CANNOT undergo surgery. Stenting and endarterectomy should be performed in the acute setting, always within ________. A stuttering stroke (TIA) or an evolving stroke should prompt more emergent intervention
2 weeks
If a pt has a stroke and they are determined to have afib, they need to be on anticoagulation. If warfarin is used, the goal INR is ______. It doesn’t matter whether you use warfarin or the non-vitamin K anticoagulants (NOAC), except that NOACs cannot be used in ______ afib.
2-3
Valvular
If a pt has a stroke and they are determined to have afib, they need to be on anticoagulation. If warfarin is used, the goal INR is 2-3. It doesn’t matter whether you use warfarin or the non-vitamin K anticoagulants (NOAC), except that NOACs cannot be used in valvular afib. Which option for anticoagulant requires a bridge?
Neither!
Often, initiation of warfarin requires a heparin bridge. However, afib is one time where you definitely do NOT need to bridge (unless there is another indication like a mechanical valve)
NOTE that if a thrombus is found — you must bridge to warfarin!
Warfarin or NOAC should be used when pt has chronic afib with CHADS2 score of 2+. What are the elements of the CHADS2 score for embolic stroke prevention?
CHF HTN Age >65 DM Stroke (worth 2 pts)
Hemorrhagic strokes due to subarachnoid hemorrhage or intracranial hemorrhage may present with cushing’s reflex, which is what?
Bradycardia + HTN
[impending herniation]
A grand mal seizure presents with tonic clonic convulsions, bowel/bladder incontinence, and tongue biting. There’s a loss of consciousness, but it is the __________ that separates a seizure from alternative causes of LOC
Post-ictal confusion
A pt presenting with a seizure that is not actively seizing requires what 3 tests for workup?
CT
VITAMINS mnemonic
EEG
If a pt presents with a seizure, is post-ictal, or has entered status epilepticus, they need to be treated as a medical emergency. What steps must immediately be followed (i.e., one after another if the prior step does not work)?
- IV/IM Benzos (lorazepam/diazepam)
- Fosphenytoin
- Midazolam
- Propofol
- Phenobarbital
- Draw labs and reverse any underlying defects
The VITAMINS mnemonic helps determine cause of a seizure — what does it stand for?
Vascular — stroke, AVM, hemorrhage
Infection — encephalitis, meningitis
Trauma — MVA, TBI
Autoimmune — lupus, vasculitis, arthritis
Metabolic — Na, Ca, Mg, O2, glucose
Idiopathic
Neoplasm
Sychiatric — faking it or iatrogenic
3 antiseizure medications considered broad specturm and first line therapy
Valproate
Lamotrigine
Levetiracetam
What test is used to diagnose a seizure and the location of origination?
EEG
Look for spike and waves indicative of organized neuronal firing (which is abnormal for an awake adult). Note that 24 hr video monitoring may be required to catch the seizure and its manifestations
Partial seizures involve a specific complaint while generalized indicate total brain involvement. What is the difference in treatment options?
Partial = Carbamazepine or Phenytoin
Generalized = Valproate or Lamotrigine
Difference between complex vs. simple seizures
Complex = with LOC
Simple = without LOC
Tx for atonic seizures
Valproate
Define atonic seizures
Loss of tone without loss of consciousness
Define absence seizures
Loss of consciousness without loss of tone
Tx for absence seizures
Ethosuximide
Jerky muscles indicates myoclonic seizures, what is the tx of choice?
Valproate
Tx of choice for trigeminal neuralgia
Carbamezepine
FAST acronym for stroke symptoms
Face
Arm
Speech
Time — get to hospital ASAP
Parkinson’s is caused by a loss of ______ neurons within the _______. This essentially eliminates the “go” signal, preventing the initiation of movement.
Dopaminergic; substantia nigra
Classic symptoms of parkinsons
Bradykinesia (difficulty initiating movement)
Cog-wheel rigidity
Resting pill-rolling tremor
Gait disturbances/postural instability
Pt will have difficulty with get-up-and-go test, and will walk with shuffling steps. A board buzz word is a mask-like expressionless face
Tremor etiologies
Parkinsons Essential Huntingtons Delirium tremens Cerebellar dysfunction
T/F: MRI of the substantia nigra to show degeneration is needed to confirm dx of Parkinsons
False
Parkinsons is a clinical dx. Imaging may be utilized to r/o something else (CT for bleeding, MRI for stroke), but these are not needed for diagnosis
Treatment of Parkinsons is about the “go” signal which is dopamine. The stop signal is acetylcholine. Dopamine agonists are the mainstay of therapy for young, functional people (<70, maintained function). Bromocriptine is an older dirtier dopamine agonist, so the 2 better options are ______ and _____
Ropinirole
Pramipexole
While dopamine agonists are the mainstay of therapy for Parkinsons in young, functional people (<70, maintained function), __________ is the mainstay of therapy for everyone else.
Levodopa-carbidopa
Why is levidopa combined with carbidopa for the tx of Parkinsons?
Levodopa CAN cross the BBB while carbidopa cannot. Carbidopa prevents the conversion of L-dopa into dopamine peripherally, meaning that more levodopa gets to the brain and more dopamine is created
Eventually, levodopa-carbidopa begins to wear off in the tx of Parkinsons. The _______ and _______ are brought in as L-C begins to fail. There’s no way to determine how to add them
COMT-inhibitors (capones); MAO-B inhibitors (Selegiline)
Acetylcholine-R antagonists like _______ could theoretically work to tx Parkinsons, but the acetylcholine side effects are not worth it for the elderly and the effect is weak. Use this on young people who have tremor only
Benztropine
Side effects of dopamine agonists used in Parkinsons
Hypotension
Psychosis — schizophrenic sxs with hallucinations
Anti-influenza drug sometimes used to tx Parkinsons in functional pts >60 y/o
Amantadine