Psych Exam Questions Flashcards
What age range has the highest incidence of alcoholism?
18-29 year olds
What laboratory changes are suggestive of alcoholism?
Increase in ALT, AST, alk phos, amylase, bilirubin, cholesterol, GGT, LDH, MCV, prothrombin time, triglycerides, and uric acid.
Decrease in BUN, Calcium, hematocrit, magnesium, phosphorus, platelet count, and protein.
What is the difference in treatment methods between alcohol withdrawal compared to sedative hypnotic withdrawal?
ETOH withdrawal is treated with benzodiazepines, carbamazepine, or paraldehyde.
Sedative hypnotic withdrawal is usually treated with long acting barbiturates.
A patient presents with tearing eyes, a runny nose, tachycardia, hair on end, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, insomnia, pupillary dilation, and leukocytosis. What is the diagnosis and treatment?
Opiate/Opioid withdrawal.
Treat with methadone or dolphin.
Clonidine may blunt some side effects.
What chromosomal abnormality do autistic patients generally have?
Fragile X syndrome
Which has an earlier onset: Bipolar or unipolar disorder?
Bipolar (20s-30s)
Unipolar is usually between 35 and 50 yrs.
Differentiate between bipolar I, bipolar II and hypomania.
Bipolar I: Mania and major depression
Bipolar II: Hypomania and major depression
Hypomania: Mania without severe impairment or psychotic features.
Other than classic mania, what else can lithium be used to treat?
Bulimia, anorexia nervosa, alcoholism in patients with mood disorders, leukocytosis in patients on antineoplastic medication, cluster headaches, and migraine headaches.
Postural tremor is a major side effect of lithium. How is this controlled?
Minimize the dose during the workday and supplement with low dose beta blockers.
Should athletic patients be on a higher or lower dose of lithium?
Higher.
Lithium is excreted in high amounts in sweat.
What is the potential complication of treating manic depression and CHF simultaneously?
Lithium toxicity.
A low salt diet and/or sodium-losing diuretics can cause lithium retention and toxicity.
At what level does lithium toxicity occur and what are the symptoms?
14mg/L
Symptoms include: nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, rigidity, tremor, ataxia, seizures, delirium, coma, and death.
What is the most common symptom of a patient with borderline personality disorder?
Chronic boredom.
Other symptoms include severe mood swings, volatile relationships, continuous and uncontrollable anger, and impulsiveness.
What other findings might you expect in a patient with parotid gland swelling and eroding tooth enamel?
Bulimic patients often have elevated serum amylase and hypokalemia.
What is the most common cause of catatonia?
Affective disorder.
The pleasurable effects of cocaine are due to its effect on what?
DA2 receptors
What is the treatment for cocaine toxicity?
Acidify the urine and administer neuroleptics and phentolamine.
Children with conduct disorders will most likely develop which adult disorder?
Antisocial personality disorder (40%)
What is dysthymia?
A chronic disorder that lasts for more than two years. Severe symptoms of depression such as delusions and hallucinations are absent.
What are the symptoms of antidepressant withdrawal?
Wild and frequent dreams, anxiety, akathisia, bradykinesia, mania, malaise.