psych Flashcards
What is a mental disorder as classified by the MHA? + what is the difference between a section 12 approved doctor vs AMHP?
Mental disorder = any disorder/ disability of the mind (excluding alcohol and drugs)
Section 12 approved doctors vs. AMHP
Section 12 approved doctors = doctors that have completed a certain years in training, e.g. psychiatrists, certain GPs
AMHP = approved mental health professional, usually a GP, but can also be some social workers, nurses, psychologists or OTs
MHA section 2 - purpose, duration, professionals and evidence?
Assessment - 28 days - 2 doctors (1 S12 approved), evidence is for patients own safety or mental disorder present - cannot be renewed!
MHA section 3 - purpose, duration, professionals and evidence?
Treatment - 6 months and can be renewed unlike section 2 - 2 doctors (1 s12) - mental disorder present, Rx is available and tx is in patients best interests
MHA section 4 - purpose, duration, professionals and evidence?
emergency - 72 hours - 1 doctor/amhp - mental disorder present, patients own safety, not enough time to section properly i.e. lack of other doctor
Section 5(2)?
Doctors holding power - 72 hours long - Fy2 or above needs to authorise usually to get a senior to review
Section 5 (4)
Nurses holding power - 6 hours - to await medical assessment
Section 135
Police section - 36 hours- requires a court order to access ptx home and remove them to a place of safety
Section 136
Police section - 24 hours - person sus to have a mental disorder in a public space
What is depression?
Depression is a mood disorder causing persistent sadness and loss of interest
If at least one of the two ‘core’ symptoms have been present most days, most of the time, for at least 2 weeks and not secondary to alcohol/drugs/bereavement,
What are the core sx of depression?
Core symptoms:
Low mood
Little interest/ pleasure in
doing things (anhedonia)
lasting at least 2w + not due to drugs
What are the 2* sx of depression (assocated sx)?
Disturbed sleep (decreased or increased compared to usual).
Decreased or increased appetite and/or weight.
Fatigue/loss of energy.
Agitation or slowing of movements.
Poor concentration or indecisiveness.
Feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt.
Suicidal thoughts or acts.
How do you determine severity of depression?
NICE / DSM5 - basically how many sx they have
Mild: < 5 symptoms resulting
in minor functional impairment
Moderate: > 5 symptoms
with varying functional impairment
Severe: > 5 symptoms markedly interfering with functioning +- psychotic symptoms
What Ix would you do for depression?
Hx + MSE
Questionnaire - PHQ-9 i.e.
Bloods to rule out DDx: DDx: hypothyroidism, neurological disorders (Parkinson’s, MS, dementia), substances and adverse drug effects…
Blood glucose, U&E, creatinine, LFT, TFT, calcium levels; FBC, ESR
What is the mx of depression?
Subthreshold - Mild:
low-intensity psychological interventions, group CBT, avoid antidepressants
Moderate - Severe: antidepressant + high intensity psychological interventions
What are some low intensity psych interventions that we can use to treat depression?
Low-intensity psychosocial interventions are suitable for people with persistent subthreshold depressive symptoms or mild depression, and include:
Individual guided self-help, based on the principles of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) — this includes written material or other media relevant to reading age, and usually consists of 6–8 sessions (face-to-face and via telephone) over 9–12 weeks.
What are some high intensity psych interventions that can be used in depression?
Individual CBT — usually given over 16–20 sessions over 3–4 months. For people with severe depression, two sessions per week might be provided for the first 2–3 weeks of treatment.
What is the medication for depression?
SSRI - 1st line: citalopram,
fluoxetine, paroxetine, sertraline
FluoxeTEEN in teenagers!
What is the medication for depression?
SSRI - 1st line either of: citalopram,
fluoxetine, paroxetine, sertraline
FluoxeTEEN in teenagers!
What side effects can you get with SSRI’s and what do you need to know about prescribing them?
SSRIs side effects: hyponatraemia (SIADH) in elderly, nausea, headache, GI upset, sexual dysfunction, insomnia, agitation, restlessness, anxiety.
During the first few weeks of treatment, there is a potential increase for agitation, anxiety and suicide risk - especially younger patients.
In general, an antidepressant effect is usually seen within 2-4 weeks of starting treatment.
Treatment should be continued for at least 4 weeks (6 weeks if elderly) before considering switching.
Antidepressants should be taken for at least 6 months after they have recovered, to reduce the risk of relapse. People who are at high risk of relapse may need to take them for longer than this.
What are some other depression medications that are not SSRI’s?
- SNRI - Mirtazapine,
Venlafaxine, Duloxetine - Tricyclics - Amitriptyline (sedating), Imipramine (non-sedating). Anticholinergic SE.
- Monoamine oxidase inhibitors - Iproniazid, Phenelzine. SE - hypertensive crisis associated with certain ripe cheese
What are some other depressive disorders?
- Seasonal affective disorder
- Dysthymic disorder
- Postnatal depression
What is seasonal affective disorder? How do you treat it
Seasonal affective disorder is diagnosed if the person has episodes of depression which recur annually at the same time each year with remission in between (usually appearing in winter and remitting in spring). Management is light therapy, then SSRIs.
What is dysthymic disorder?
Persistent subthreshold depressive symptoms (sometimes termed dysthymia) is diagnosed if the person has:
Subthreshold symptoms for more days than not for at least 2 years, which is not the consequence of a partially resolved ‘major’ depression.
Mx: SSRI, CBT
Post natal depression? What do you know? how would you manage?
Postnatal depression affects about 13% of women after childbirth with suicide being the leading cause of maternal death postpartum. Peak occurrence is 3-4w postpartum - baby blues, on the other hand, commonly occur 2-3 days after birth and resolves within the first 2 weeks.
Paroxetine and sertraline are the drugs of choice for breastfeeding women.
What is bipolar and how would you diagnose it?
Bipolar is: Depression + mania/hypomania occurring in episodes usually with months separating them.
Diagnosis requires at least 1 episode of mania or hypomania.
What are the different types of bipolar?
Type 1 = Mania + Depression
Type 2 = Hypomania + Depression
What os cyclothymic disorder?
Cyclothymic disorder: characterised by recurrent depressive and hypomanic states, lasting for at least 2 years, that do not meet the diagnostic threshold for a major affective episode
What is mania and what does it involve?
Mania > 1 week, impaired functioning +- psychosis
(I DIG FAST)
Irritability/elevated mood
Distractibility
Inhibition loss
Grandiosity
Flight of ideas
Activity increased
Sleep not needed
Talkative (pressure of speech)
What is hypomania? What does it involve?
Differentiate - never any psychosis , time and affect on functioning
Hypomania 4+ days, doesn’t affect functioning
Elevated mood
Increased energy
Increased talkativeness
Poor concentration
Mild reckless behaviour
Sociability/overfamiliarity
Increased libido
Increased confidence
Decreased sleep
What is the psychosocial mx for bipolar disorder?
Psychosocial
Psychotherapy - CBT, interpersonal therapy
Social/ family/ financial support
wHAT MEDICATIONS CAN YOU USE IN BIPOLAR?
mood stabilisers: Lithium (narrow therapeutic window 0.4-1.0mmol), Sodium valproate (not for women of childbearing age), Carbamazepine
- Lithium is 1st line
antidepressants - SSRIs - risk of mania !!!!!!!!!!!!
antipsychotics - Olanzapine, Risperidone
emergency - acute mania: Quetiapine + Lithium +- benzodiazepines
ECT if treatment-resistant
What medications can induce bipolar?
TCA, SNRI, Benzodiazepines, anti-Parkinson’s medications, antipsychotics
What do you know about lithium and lithium monitoring?
Needs to be kept in a narrow therapeutic range and can fuck the kidneys if not monitored and controlled.
Prior treatment: measure the person’s weight or BMI and arrange tests for urea and electrolytes including calcium, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), thyroid function and a full blood count. + ECG if CVS risk
Measure plasma lithium levels 1 week after starting lithium and 1 week after every dose change, and weekly until the levels are stable.
Aim to maintain plasma lithium level between 0.6 and 0.8 mmol per litre in people being prescribed lithium for the first time.
Measure the person’s plasma lithium level every 3 months for the first year.
After the first year, measure plasma lithium levels every 6 months
Measure the person’s weight or BMI and arrange tests for urea and electrolytes including calcium, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and thyroid function every 6 months
How do you diagnose GAD?
DSM5: sx > 6 mnths
What are the RF’s for GAD?
RF: female, Hx of trauma, Hx of anxiety disorders, FHx of anxiety, physical/ emotional stress, chronic conditions, substance abuse
What are some physical and mental sx of GAD?
mental SSx: restlessness/ nervousness, easily fatigued, poor concentration, irritability
physical SSx: lightheaded, palpitations, dizziness, GI upset, headaches, muscle tension, trembling, back pain, sleep disturbances, breathing difficulties
What sort of presentation of GAD would you get in lets say primary care?
In primary care, people with GAD often present solely with physical symptoms such as headaches, muscle tension, gastrointestinal symptoms, back pain, and insomnia, and may not readily report worry or psychological distress.
Symptoms:
Autonomic arousal- palpitations, tachycardia, sweating, dry mouth
Physical symptoms- breathing difficulties, choking sensation, chest pain, nausea
Mental state - depersonalisation/derealisation, fear of losing control, concentration difficulties
General symptoms- hot flushes/chills, numbness, tingling
Symptoms of tension- muscle aches/pains, restlessness/inability to relax
RF: living alone, divorced/ separated, 35-54 y.o., single parent
What is the NICE guidance on GAD?
- Education about GAD + active monitoring - everyone
2.Low intensity CBT: individual self-help or psychoeducational groups- ppl without functional impairment
3.High intensity CBT or SSRI (sertraline, paroxetine, escitalopram) - marked functional improvement or if step 2 hasnt worked
4.Refer for specialist Rx
short-term: Propranolol, benzodiazepines
How would you differentiate between PTSD and acute stress disorder?
PTSD>4 weeks sx and ASD<4 weeks
What is the classic quadrad of PTSD sx?
Classic Quadrad: HEAR
Hyperarousal
Emotional Numbing
Avoidance
Reliving the Situation
What does DSM say about dx of PTSD?
Quadrad +Traumatic event, onset between 1-6 months after event, lasts more than 4 weeks
What is the tx of PTSD?
Rx:
EMDR + TF-CBT
Sert + Ven
Zopiclone
EMDR - Eye movement desensitization reprocessing is first line tx, can be with trauma focussed CBT
other symptoms include dissociative amnesia
What is the main differential for PTSD?
Acute Stress disorder - presents within 1 month of event, Rx = Trauma focussed CBT + anti-depressents
What is OCD?
Chronic anxiety and depression + obsession and/or compulsion
What do you mean by obsession and compulsion in OCD?
Obsession - pts own idea/impulse, repetitive + intrusive
Compulsion - pt recognises it as a problem but can’t resist
Differential is OCPD where the ptx does believe and rationalises their actions
How would you dx OCD?
Dx criteria:
O or C or bof
time consuming
pt knows their sx are unreasonableDx obsession or compulsion or both, time consuming or significant social/occupational impairment, pt knows there is something wrong