Primary Care 2.0 Flashcards
GORD, dyspepsia etc.
GORD, dyspepsia etc.
What is dyspepsia? How is it investigated? What does the management depend on?
- dyspepsia = range of symptoms from the upper GI tract - tend to be present for 4w or more + can be:
- upper abdo pain/discomfort
- heartburn
- gastric reflux
- nausea or vomiting
- Investigate the following (endoscopy)
- ? oesophageal or stomach Ca:
- urgent (2ww) if:
- dysphagia
- upper abdo mass consistent w/ Ca
- age >55 w/ weight loss and any of:
- upper abdo pain, reflux,dyspepsia
- non-urgent if:
- haeamtemesis
- patient age >55 w/
- treatment resistant dyspepsia
- upper abdo pain w/ low Hb
- raised platelets w/ any of: n+v, weight loss, reflux, dyspepsia, upper abdo pain
- n+v w/ any of: weight loss, reflux, dyspepsia, upper abdo pain
- urgent (2ww) if:
- for ?GORD
- age >55
- symptoms for >4w or symptoms persisting despite treatment
- dysphagia
- relapsing symptoms
- weight loss
- ? oesophageal or stomach Ca:
- Treatment then depends on whether endoscopy is done or not + what the endoscopy shows- can split into:
- No endoscopy = undiagnosed dyspepsia
- Endoscopy –>
- +ve for oesophagitis
- -ve for oesophagitis –> do pH studies for ? GORD
- if pH study +ve = endoscopy -ve GORD
- if pH study -ve treat as for undiagnosed dyspepsia
(GORD = endoscopically determined oesophagitis or endoscopy -ve reflux disease)
- Possible causes of dyspepsia:
- Ca - oesophageal/stomach
- (red flags above)
- GORD
- Peptic ulcer disease
- overeating/eating quickly; fatty/greasy/spicy food/ caffeine/alcohol/fizzy drink; anxiety
- meds- antibiotics, NSAIDs, iron supplements
- GI: coeliac, gallstones, constipation, pancreatitis etc,
- Ca - oesophageal/stomach
Describe the management of the following:
- Undiagnosed dyspepsia (that does not meet criteria for referal for endoscopy)
- GORD:
- endoscopy +ve oesophagitis
- endoscopy -ve reflux disease
- also what are possible complications of GORD?
(N.B. if both endoscopy -ve and pH study -ve treat as undiagnosed dyspepsia)
- Undiagnosed dyspepsia
- review medications for a possible cause of dyspepsia
- lifestyle advice
- trial of full-dose PPI for 1month OR ‘test + treat’ approach for H.pylori
* (covered more in peptic ulcer disease FCs)
- trial of full-dose PPI for 1month OR ‘test + treat’ approach for H.pylori
- GORD:
- endoscopically proven oesophagitis:
- full dose PPI for 1-2m
- if symptoms respond then use low dose treatment as needed
- if no response then double the PPI dose for 1 month
- full dose PPI for 1-2m
- endoscopically -ve reflux disease
- full dose PPI for 1 month
- if symptoms respond then use low dose treatment- ? on PRN basis
- if no response use H2 blocker or prokinetic for one month
- full dose PPI for 1 month
- endoscopically proven oesophagitis:
- Complications of GORD:
- oesophagitis, ulcers, anaemia, benign strictures, barrett’s oesophagus, oesophageal carcinoma
Peptic ulcer disease
What is this? How does it present? How is it investigated and managed?
- Peptic ulcer disease includes both gastric + duodenal (more common) ulcers, it can be:
-
Uncomplicated peptic ulcer disease
-
Causes:
- most linked w/ H.pylori
- meds eg. NSAID, SSRIs, steroids, bisphosphonates
- zollinger-elison syndrome (rare) (gastrin secreting tumour -> refractory peptic ulcer disease)
- Presentation
- epigastric pain
- nausea
- duodenal ulcers
- epigastric pain- worse when hungry + relieved by eating
- gastric ulcers
- epigastric pain - worse on eating
- Investigations
- H.pylori testing
- urea breath test or stool antigen test
- H.pylori testing
- Management
- H.pylori -ve –> PPI until ulcer heals
- H. pylori +ve –> give eradication therapy for 7 days:
- PPI + amoxicillin + clarithromycin
- or PPI + metronidazole + clarithromycin
-
Causes:
-
Peptic ulcer disease w/ acute bleeding
- bleed often from the gastroduodenal artery
- often presents w/ haemetemesis
- Management:
- A-E approach
- IV PPI
- 1st line: endoscopic intervention
- if this fails (in approx 10%) then either:
- urgent interventional angiography w/ transarterial embolisation
- or surgery
-
Uncomplicated peptic ulcer disease
Gastritis
This is very common - it is inflammation of the lining of the stomach + is normally mild + resolves without treatment BUT it can –> epigastric pain + stomach ulcers.
What are possible causes? How might it present? How would you investigate and manage it?
- Causes:
- H.pylori
- NSAIDs, aspirin
- other: stressful event (eg. critical illness, bad injury, major surgery), rarely can be autoimmune reaction, alcohol, cocaine abuse, other infection eg. viral/parasitc/fungal
- Symptoms:
- epigastric pain
- comes + goes, relieved by antacids, worse w/ food, may wake people from sleep
- other:
- loss of appetite, bloating, retching, n+v, early satiety
- epigastric pain
- Investigations
- if mild + resolves spontaneously –> nothing
- if more severe or non-resolving –> FBC (?bleed), endoscopy +/- biopsy (to confirm gastritis), H.pylori testing
- Management
- lifestyle:
- eat small regular meals, avoid irritating foods (spicy, acidic, fried, fatty), don’t drink alcohol, stop smoking, avoid caffeine, reduce stress, ?stop NSAID
- (give this sort of advice for any dyspepsia)
- Acid suppression
- antacids
- ?PPI or H2 blocker
- H.pylori eradication as needed
- lifestyle:
Sprains and strains
Sprains and Strains
What is the difference between a sprain and a strain? How are their severities graded?
- Sprain- stretch and/or partial/complete tear of a ligament (between bone + bone - so must be at a joint)
- typically - ankles, knee, wrist or thumb
- Severity:
- 1 = mild stretching or micro-tear
- no joint instability
- minimal bruising/swelling
- normal weight bearing (if weight bearing joint)
- 2 = partial tear of ligament complex
- no joint instability
- moderate bruising + swelling
- minimal pain on weight bearing
- 3= complete tear
- joint instability
- severe bruising + swelling
- severe pain on weight bearing
- 1 = mild stretching or micro-tear
- Strain
- stretch and/or tear of muscle fibres and/or tendon (muscle-bone)
- typically- foot, leg (esp hamstring) + back
- Severity
- 1st degree - few muscle fibres stretched/torn
- tender/painful muscle
- normal strength
- 2nd degree - several injured fibres
- severe pain/tenderness
- mild swelling + loss of strength
- may be bruised
- 3rd degree- torn all the way -> pop sensation
- total loss of muscle function
- severe pain + swelling
- visible bruise
- difficulty weight bearing
- 1st degree - few muscle fibres stretched/torn
- stretch and/or tear of muscle fibres and/or tendon (muscle-bone)
- Basic management = RICE
- R - rest
- I - ice
- C- compression
- E- elevation
What are the different types of ankle sprain that can occur? How are they each investigated and managed?
- High sprains (at the syndesmosis between tibia + fibula)
- Presentation (rare + severe)
- weight bearing is v difficult
- pain when squeezing tibia + fibula at mid-calf
- Investigations
- X-ray - widening of tibiofibular joint or ankle mortise
- MRI if u have high clinical suspicion of syndesmosis injury but normal X-ray
- Management
- if no diastasis then non-weight bearing orthosis or cast until pain subsides
- if diastasis or if non-op management fails -> operative fixation
- Presentation (rare + severe)
- Low sprains (at the lateral collateral ligaments) = 90%
- presentation
- often due to inversion injury -> pain, swelling + tenderness over affected ligament +/- bruising
- normally able to weight bear unless severe
- Investigations
- X-ray - according to ottawa ankle rules - 15% of sprains have an associated #
- MRI if persistent pain
- Management
- non-operative w/ RICE
- in some may need a removable orthosis or cast and/or crutches (for short term symptom relief)
- if symptoms fail to settle or significant joint instability –> MRI + surgical intervention (rare tho)
- presentation
Medically Unexplained Symptoms
Medically unexplained symptoms
What are each of the following?
- Somatisation disorder
- Hypochondrial disorder
- Conversion disorder
- Dissociative disorder
- Factitious disorder (aka Munchausen’s)
- Malingering
- Somatisation Disorder
- multiple physical symptoms present for at least 2yrs
- Patient refuses to accept reassurance/-ve test results
- Hypochondrial disorder
- persisteny belief in presence of an underlying disease e.g. cancer
- patient refuses to accept reassurance/-ve test results
- Conversion disorder
- typically involves loss of motor/sensory function
- patient doesn’t consciously feign symptoms (factitious disorder) or seek material gain (malingering)
- Dissociative disorder
- involves psych symptoms (in contrast to conversion disorder) e.g. amnesia, fugue, stupor
- dissociation is a process of ‘separating off’ certain memories from normal consciousness
- Factitious disorder (aka munchausen’s)
- intentional production of physical of psychological symptoms
- Malingering
- fraudulent simulation or exaggeration of symptoms with the intention of financial or other gain
Respiratory Tract Infections
- URTI includes the following (many of which are covered in other notes e.g. paeds/ENT):
- Rhinitis
- Rhinosinusitis (sinusitis)
- Nasopharyngitis/rhinopharyngitis = common cold
- Sore throat encompasses:
- pharyngitis + tonsilitis + laryngitis
- = laryngitis when voice is hoarse
- if >45 w/ persistent hoarseness or unexplained lump in neck –> 2ww for ? laryngeal Ca (esp if previous smoker)
- pharyngitis + tonsilitis + laryngitis
- Epiglottitis (severe in children + adults w/ subglottic stenosis - less severe in most adults)
- Laryngitis
- Laryngotracheitis (croup)
- Tracheitis
- N.B. bronchitis + pneumonia are LRTIs
Respiratory Tract Infections
How long do the following infections last? Also generally what are the rules for when you would prescribe antibiotics in upper resp tract infections/otitis media?
- Acute otitis media
- acute sore throat/acute pharyngitis/acute tonsilitis
- common cold
- acute rhinosinusitis
- acute cough/acute bronchitis
- Duration of illness
- otitis media - 4 days
- acute sore throat/phayrngitis/tonsilitis - 1week
- common cold- 1.5w
- acute rhinosinusitis - 2.5w
- acute cough/acute bronchitis - 3w
- When to prescribe antibiotics
- for pharyngitis/tonsilitis - use FeverPain
- Children <2yrs w/ bilateral acute otitis media
- Children w/ otorrhoea who have acute otitis media
- Those at risk of developing complications:
- systemically v unwell
- symptoms/signs suggesting serious illness/complications (pneumonia, mastoiditis, peritonsillar abscess/cellulitis, intraorbital/ intracranial complications)
- high risk of serious complications due to co-morbidity eg. heart, lung, renal, liver, neuromuscular disease, immunosuppression, cystic fibrosis, young/premature children
- those over 65 w/ acute cough + 2 or more (or 1 or more if over 80) of:
- hospitalisation in the previous year
- T1DM or T2DM
- Hx of congestive heart failure
- current use of oral steroids
What is acute bronchitis and how does it present? How would you investigate and manage it?
- most = viral (altho can get bacterial infection following this)
- N.B. occurs in COPD, bronchiectasis or CF this = an exacerbation of these conditions rather than acute bronchitis
- Presentation
- cough
- initially dry then productive
- can hang around for 2-3w
- Other symptoms tends to peak at 2-3 days
- fever, headache, aches, SOB, wheeze
- older people can -> confusion + rapid breathing
- Can be preceded by cold symptoms (coryza, sore throat, fatigue, chills)
- cough
- Investigations
- mostly clinical diagnosis but consider following:
- CXR- if ? pneumonia
- eg. prolonged fever, crackles/congestion or SOB
- to exclude underlying lung disease (eg. Ca) if cough persists >2w
- ?throat swab if ?influenza or bordatella
- sputum sample (if pneumonia on CXR)
- CXR- if ? pneumonia
- mostly clinical diagnosis but consider following:
- Management
- paracetamol for fever
- increase fluid intake
- if due to influenza - osteltamivir (tamiflu)
- within 24h of symptom onset
- in children w/ airflow limitation can use steam vaporiser or bronchodilators
Infectious Mononucleosis
(aka. Glandular Fever)
What is this caused by? How does it present? How is it diagnosed and managed? What conditions are associated w/ EBV?
- Cause = EBV (epstein-barr virus) in 90% (aka. HHV-4 - human herpes virus 4)
- Presentation
- main triad (seen in 98%)
- sore throat
- lymphadenopathy - ant. + post. triangles in neck can both be affected
- (tonsilitis tends to just be upper anterior cervical chain)
- pyrexia
- Other features:
- malaise, headache, anorexia
- palatal petechiae
- splenomegaly (in 50%)
- only rarely predisposes to splenic rupture
- hepatitis + transient rise in ALT
- lymphocytosis
- haemolytic anaemia (secondary to cold agglutins (IgM))
- can -> moderate thrombocytopenia
- If you take ampicillin/amoxicillin –> maculopapular pruritic rash in 99%
- Symptoms take 2-4w to resolve
- main triad (seen in 98%)
- Diagnosis
- Monospot test (heterophil antibody test) + FBC
- do in 2nd week of illness to confirm diagnosis
- Monospot test (heterophil antibody test) + FBC
- Management = supportive
- rest in early stages w/ lots of fluids (avoid alcohol)
- simple analgesia
- avoid contact sports for 8w to reduce splenic rupture risk
- Conditions associated w/ EBV:
- non-malignant
- hairy leukoplakia
- malignant
- Burkitt’s lymphoma
- Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- nasopharyngeal carcinoma
- HIV associated CNS lymphomas
- non-malignant
Back Pain
Back Pain