PreTest Family Medicine: "Chronic Complaints" Flashcards
The most common cause of failure to achieve an erection in a man who has an intact sexual desire is ____________.
vascular problems
Mood disorders, stressors, and alcohol can play a role, but vascular disorders are more common.
When should you test the levels of testosterone in a man with sexual complaints?
If the man complains of decreased sexual interest and has a normal physical exam and no risk factors for other causes of sexual dysfunction in his history (e.g., no bitemporal hemianopsia, no headaches, no history of head trauma or irradiation).
Test ____________ when evaluating testosterone deficiency.
free testosterone in the morning (when it peaks)
True or false: beta-blockers can treat premature ejaculation.
False
Beta-blockers can cause erectile dysfunction, but they do not affect the ejaculation threshold.
SSRIs can be used to treat erectile dysfunction.
What test can confirm a vascular source of erectile dysfunction?
Penile-brachial index
How should low testosterone be managed?
•First, test the FSH, LH, and prolactin levels. If all three levels are low, then it is hypothalamic/pituitary failure. If the FSH and LH are low but the prolactin is high, then it is a prolactinoma. IF the FSH and LH are high, then it is testicular failure.
The best therapy for women with primary orgasmic disorder is _______________.
directed self-stimulation
What is the most sensitive test for detecting long-term alcohol abuse?
Gamma-glutamyl transferase
Ethyl glucuronide is the most sensitive test for detecting recent intoxication, but it does not tell you if the person drank a lot or has drunk alcohol for a long time. GGT will be elevated in those who abuse alcohol long-term.
An elevated _______________ is 96% specific for alcohol abuse.
MCV
_____________ has been shown to be the best treatment for preventing relapse in recovering alcoholics.
Acamprosate
If a person fails to quit smoking with one form of nicotine replacement, then _______________.
add a second form (e.g., gum + patch)
List the side effects of varenicline.
- Nausea
- Insomnia
- Abnormal dreams
Varenicline is metabolized in the ____________.
urine
“Urinicline.”
The most supported therapies for smoking cessation are ________________.
nicotine replacement, varenicline, and bupropion
Nicotine replacement should be used with caution in those with ______________.
unstable angina
What is the role of PCPs in treating rheumatoid arthritis?
It used to be recommended that PCPs manage RA symptoms with NSAIDs until no longer effective, but with the advent of disease-modifying antirheumatic agents (DMARDs), it is now recommended that PCPs refer RA patients to rheumatologists.
How often can steroid injections be done?
No more than two per year
Describe the crystals seen in pseudogout.
Positively birefringent, rhomboid-shaped crystals
A joint aspirate shows elevated WBCs that are 20% PMNs. What is the likely diagnosis?
Osteoarthritis
List the three medicines that can treat acute gouty attacks and what order they should be used.
1) NSAIDs
2) Colchicine
3) Corticosteroids
The most common extra-articular manifestation of RA is _______________.
interstitial lung disease
The strongest predictor of future asthma development is _________________.
history of atopy (even more than family history of asthma!)
Why is methacholine rarely used to diagnose asthma?
It can induce life-threatening bronchospasm in some cases.
Asthma daytime attacks more than twice a month but less than once a day is classified as ____________.
mild persistent
What are “peak flow” levels?
They are an easy and inexpensive way for patients to monitor asthma status. Peak expiratory flow parallels FEV. Patients should compare their current peak flow to their personal best.
- 80% to 100% = green zone = ok
- 50% to 79% = yellow zone = review medication regimen
- Below 50% = red zone = patient needs immediate medical attention
Describe the movement of spondylolisthesis.
The superior moves anterior in relation to the inferior.
How can you differentiate low back strain from spondylolisthesis?
- Low back strain usually occurs after an inciting event. (“I was putting the groceries in the trunk and suddenly my back ‘gave out’.”)
- Spondylolisthesis is more common in those who are younger than 26 and athletic, while low back strain is more common in older people.
True or false: low back strain should be treated with NSAIDs and bed rest.
False.
While NSAIDs are a key component of therapy, bed rest has not been shown to be helpful. Return to activity is the best recommendation.
Which antidepressants have been shown to help treat chronic pain?
SNRIs and TCAs
What two interventions have been shown to improve the prognosis of COPD?
- Smoking cessation
* Supplemental oxygen
What is the best first-line agent in COPD?
Ipratropium
If a person with chronic COPD has an acute exacerbation, treat them with ________________.
azithromycin, ciprofloxacin, or Augmentin
The best predictor of renal failure in a diabetic is ______________.
estimated GFR
What lab abnormality is the first sign of chronic renal failure?
Anemia
Electrolytes are not usually affected until the GFR is less than 30 mL/min, so those remain normal well into kidney failure. Anemia, however, can present when GFR is 60 mL/min.
Those with chronic kidney disease are most likely to die from ___________.
cardiovascular causes