PSA revision Flashcards
What are the enzyme inducers?
PC BRAS:
- Phenytoin
- Carbamazepine
- Barbiturates
- Rifampicin
- Alcohol (chronic excess)
- Sulphonylureas
What does it mean by enzyme inducers - what happens to the concentration of the drug?
They increase the activity of enzymes and thus decrease the drug concentrations
What does it mean by enzyme inhibitors?
They decrease enzyme activity and thus increase drug concentrations
What are the enzyme inhibitors?
AODEVICES
- Allopurinol
- Omeprazole
- Disulfiram
- Erythromycin
- Valproate
- Isoniazid
- Ciprofloxacin
- Ethanol
- Sulphonamides
What are the drugs that should be stopped before surgery?
I LACK OP
- Insulin
- Lithium
- Anticoagulants/antiplatelets
- COCP/HRT
- K-sparing diuretics
- Oral hypoglycaemics
- Perindopril (and other ACEi)
How long before surgery should COCP/HRT be stopped?
4 weeks
What are the side effects of steroid use?
STEROIDS
- Stomach ulcers
- Thin skin
- oEdema
- Right and left heart failure
- Osteoporosis
- Infection
- Diabetes
- Syndrome Cushing’s
What is the fastest rate that IV potassium can be given?
10mmol/hour
Why should cyclizine be avoided in patients with cardiac problems?
It can worsen fluid retention
What are the first line medications for neuropathic pain?
- Amitriptyline 10mg PO nightly
Which drug is known to cause hyperkalaemia and why?
ACE inhibitors e.g. ramipril or lisinopril - through reduced aldosterone production and thus reduced potassium excretion in the kidneys.
Why do ACE inhibitors cause a dry cough?
They lead to a production of bradykinin via reduced degradation of ACE
Why are you at risk of stomach uclers when taking ibuprofen?
Ibuprofen inhibits prostaglandin synthesis needed for gastric mucosal protection from acid.
Why can ibuprofen also contribute to renal failure?
The inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis also reduces renal artery diameter and blood flow thereby reducing kidney perfusion and function
Why is ibuprofen a bad choice for asthmatics?
It can cause bronchoconstriction
If a patient is on methotrexate and has a UTI, which antibiotic should be avoided, and why?
Trimethoprim - as it is a folate antagonist and because methotrexate is as well, can cause bone marrow toxicity
What is a side effect of calcium channel blockers, and the reason they should not be started in someone with heart failure?
They can lead to peripheral oedema
If someone on warfarin is found to have an INR of between 5-8, but no bleeding, what is the guideline for management?
Stop warfarin for 1-2 days and reduce maintenance dose
If someone on warfarin is found to have an INR of greater than 8, but no active bleeding, what is the management?
Stop warfarin until INR is <5, and give oral phytomenadione 5 mg (aka vitamin K)
What are the two principal abnormalities to gain from assessing U&Es?
If there is an electrolyte disturbance and the performance of the kidneys based upon creatinine and urea
In basic terms, if there are high neutrophils, what type of infection does this indicate?
A bacterial infection
If neutrophils are low, or lymphocytes are raised, what type of infection can this classically indicate?
A viral infection
Which drugs can cause neutropenia?
Clozapine and carbimazole
What are the causes of SIADH?
SIADH
- Small cell lung tumours
- Infection
- Abscess
- Drugs (especially carbamazepine and antipsychotics)
- Head injury
The mnemonic DIRE can be used to remember the causes of hypokalaemia. What does it refer to?
DIRE
- Drugs - loop and thiazide diuretics
- Inadequate intake or intestinal loss e.g. diarrhoea/vomiting
- Renal tubular acidosis
- Endocrine (Cushing’s and Conn’s syndromes)
The mnemonic DREAD can be used to remember the causes of hyperkalaemia, what does it refer to?
DREAD
- Drugs - potassium-sparing diuretics and ACEi
- Renal failure
- Endocrine (Addison’s disease)
- Artefact (very common, due to clotted sample)
- DKA
A raised urea can indicate kidney injury, but what else can it indicate, especially in someone with a normal creatinine?
An upper GI bleed
What are the pre-renal causes of AKI - accounting for 70% of AKIs?
- Dehydration of any cause e.g. sepsis, shock, blood loss
2. Renal artery stenosis
What are the two types of toxicity caused by gentamicin and vancomycin?
Ototoxicity and nephrotoxicity
In patients with Addison’s disease, if they develop an infection, which drug is important to increase the dose to provide adequate response to the increased stress?
Corticosteroids e.g. hydrocortisone
For the treatment of epilepsy, the type of seizure determines the drug choice. What is the first choice for a generalised tonic-clonic seizure?
Sodium valproate
What is first line for absence seizures?
Sodium valproate or ethosuximide
What is first line for focal seizures?
Carbamazepine or lamotrigine
What are the side effects of sodium valproate? (3 T’s)
Tremor
Teratogenicity
Tubby - weight gain
What is the usual treatment for someone with mild Alzheimer’s?
AChE inhibitors - acetylcholinesterase inhibitors
What are the three licensed drugs for Alzheimers? (3)
- Donepezil
- Rivastigmine
- Galantamine
For the treatment of Crohn’s disease. what is used to induce remission?
Steroids - prednisolone or if a severe flare up then hydrocortisone
What is the treatment for maintaining remission in Crohn’s disease?
Azathioprine or 6-mercaptopurine
What is the usual treatment for rheumatoid arthritis?
Methotrexate and a DMARD e.g. sulfasalazine or hydroxychloroquine
If rheumatoid arthritis fails to respond to the usual drugs and two DMARDs have been tried, what can be tried?
Infliximab or TNF-alpha inhibitor
Which laxative is good for faecal impaction?
A stool softener e.g. sodium docusate
Which laxative is a stimulant?
Senna
Which laxative is osmotic?
Lactulose
If a woman being treated with ACEi for hypertension wishes to conceive, which drug should she be switched to?
Labetalol
Why are weekly blood tests required when a patient takes methotrexate?
They are at risk of neutropenia
What can long-term steroid use increase the risk of?
- Diabetes
- Gastric ulcers
- Hypertension
- Addisonian crisis if stopped suddenly
What should potentially be given to patients alongside long-term steroid therapy who are older?
Bisphosphonates to prevent osteoporosis
What advice is important to give to someone starting on bisphosphonates?
The tablets should be swallowed with a full glass of water and the patient should remain upright for 30 minutes afterwards to prevent gastric side effects. Additionally the drug is taken once weekly and food needs to be avoided for up to two hours after taking the tablet as it reduces its absorption.
In someone with Factor V Leiden, experiencing a DVT and haemoptysis. What would be the first line treatment?
A LMWH - e.g. daltaparin at a treatment dose e.g. 15000 units S/C
What is the appropriate first line treatment for chronic heart failure in someone who has asthma?
An ACE inhibitor e.g. ramipril
What is the first line rate control treatment for someone with AF, who has asthma?
Calcium channel blocker - verapamil
When is metformin not a first line medication for patients with type 2 diabetes that is not controlled through diet and exercise?
If the patient is not overweight or if their creatinine is >150umol/L. If their creatinine is above this threshold, they are at risk of lactic acidosis.
When starting someone on a statin, what is important to test beforehand, and why?
LFTs - the liver metabolises statins and if AST/ALTs are raised more than 3 times the normal, they increase the risk of myopathy, as the liver impairment will increase the levels of statins as they won’t be metabolised. Consequently the LFTs need to be checked before, at 3 months and at 12 months after commencing the treatment.
For the commencement of lithium medication, when is the sampling time recommended to check levels, after how long?
12 hours after the last dose
At what level for serum lithium concentrations is judged to be toxic?
> 1.5mmol/L
Olanzapine can cause what side effect in patients, which requires a baseline test for what?
Can cause hyperglycaemia and diabetes, and therefore a fasting blood glucose must be tested at baseline and regular intervals thereafter
Why does a baseline CXR need to be carried out before starting someone on amiodarone?
As there is a risk of pulmonary toxicity
When someone is on a multiple daily dose regimen of gentamicin for endocarditis, what range should their serum concentration be?
3-5mg/l
Why is it important to monitor U&Es when someone is taking ACE inhibitors?
As they can cause hyperkalaemia, hyponatraemia and AKI
Why is it useful to monitor serum creatinine in someone taking digoxin?
As digoxin is excreted renally, so if there is renal impairment then there is an increased risk of toxicity
When someone is started on sodium valproate, what blood test is important to check first?
LFTs - valproate is associated with hepatoxicity and liver function should be measured at baseline as well as at regular intervals through the duration of therapy
What vitamin supplementation is usually required when someone is starting on valproate and why?
Vitamin D supplementation due to the risk of osteoporosis
If someone is started on clozapine, for how many weeks should they have weekly FBCs and why?
18 weeks, due to the risk of neutropenia and potentially fatal agranulocytosis
What are the side effects associated with ACE inhibitors?(4)
- Hypotension
- Electrolyte abnormalities (raised potassium)
- AKI (but can help chronic renal failure)
- Dry cough
What are the side effects associated with beta blockers? (4)
- Hypotension
- Bradycardia
- Wheeze in asthmatics
- Worsens acute heart failure (but helps chronic heart failure)
What are the adverse drug reactions associated with calcium channel blockers? (4)
- Hypotension
- Bradycardia
- Peripheral oedema
- Flushing
What are the adverse drug reactions associated with diuretics e.g. furosemide, bendoflumethiazide and spironolactone? (3)
- Hypotension
- Electrolyte abnormalities
- AKI
What are the adverse reactions associated with heparins? (2)
- Haemorrhage (especially if renal failure or <50kg)
2. Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia
What are the adverse drug reactions associated with warfarin?
Haemorrhage (ironically warfarin has a pro-coagulant effect initially as well as taking a few days to become an anti-coagulant, thus heparin should be prescribed alongside warfarin and continued until the INR exceeds 2)
What are the adverse drug reactions associated with aspirin? (4)
- Haemorrhage
- Peptic ulcers
- Gastritis
- Tinnitus (in large doses)
What are the adverse drug reactions associated with digoxin? (6)
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhoea
- Blurred vision
- Confusion and drowsiness
- Xanthopsia (disturbed yellow/green visual perception including ‘halo’ vision)
What are the adverse reactions associated with amiodarone? (4)
- Interstitial lung disease (pulmonary fibrosis)
- Thyroid disease (due to its structural relation to iodine)
- Skin greying
- Corneal deposits
What are the early, intermediate and late side effects off lithium use?
Early - tremor
Intermediate - tiredness
Late - arrhythmias, seizures, coma, renal failure, diabetes
What are the side effects associated with haloperidol?
Dyskinesias e.g. acute dystonic reactions, drowsiness
What is the side effect associated with clozapine?
Agranulocytosis
What is amiloride?
A potassium sparing diuretic, known to cause hyperkalaemia.