Passmedicine Flashcards
What is Weber’s syndrome?
Ipsilateral third nerve palsy with contralateral hemiplegia -caused by midbrain strokes
Brocas area
Involved in producing coherent speech
Wernickes area
Involved in speech processing and understanding language
Driving rules if you are withdrawing from epilepsy medication?
Cannot drive till 6 months after last dose (ie stop meds and wait six months)
Driving and fainting
No restriction
Driving and syncope? (explained and non-explained)
Explained - 4 weeks off
Non-explained - 6 months off
Two or more episodes - 12 months off
Stroke/TIA and driving?
1 month off driving, may not need to inform DVLA if no neurological deficit
Multiple TIAs - 3 months off driving and inform DVLA
Gold standard marker for CSF?
Beta-2 transferrin
If not, then just check for glucose :)
How does phenytoin work?
Binds to sodium channels and increases the refractory period
What do you need to be careful of when starting a phenytoin infusion?
Need to monitor heart because it is unpredictable and can cause arrhythmias
Which muscles are likely to waste in motor neurone disease?
Small hand muscles
Tibialis anterior
When might the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome be worse?
At night e.g. “might wake patient during the night”
Which hand muscles are supplied by the median nerve?
LOAF muscles
Someone has a painful third nerve palsy, what should you be worried about?
Posterior communicating artery aneurysm
(pupil dilated)
What is Weber’s syndrome? Which part of the brain does it occur in?
Caused by midbrain stroke
Ipsilateral third nerve palsy with contralateral hemiplegia
Treatment for cluster headache? and prophylaxis?
100% oxygen and triptan
Prophylaxis: verapamil
Which nerve wraps around the humerus and may be damaged in shoulder dislocation?
The axillary nerve
Which level is affected in Klumpkes palsy, and which other syndrome might occur?
Klumpke’s palsy is C8-T1
Involvement of T1 may also cause Horner’s syndrome
In Klumpke’s paralysis, there is typically weakness of the hand intrinsic muscles