Psych: General Questions

Question 1

What is the gold standard treatment of schizophrenia?

Answer 1

Clozapine

Question 2

Why would a patient showing psychotic symptoms need hospital admission?

Answer 2

-High risk of suicide or homicide -Lack of capacity to cooperate with treatment -Failure of outpatient treatment -Severe psychotic, depressive or catatonic symptoms -Need to address comorbid conditions (eg medication side-effects)

Question 3

Absolute contraindication to ECT?

Answer 3

Raised ICP

Question 4

Side effects of ECT?

Answer 4

Short-term side-effects “CaSH Me”

• Cardiac arrhythmia
• Short term memory impairment
• Headache nausea
• Memory loss of events prior to ECT

Long-term side-effects

-Some patients report impaired memory

Question 5

What is tardive dyskinesia?

Answer 5

• Tardive dyskinesia:
• Late onset of abnormal and involuntary choreoathetoid movements
• May occur in 40% of patients
• May be irreversible
• Most common is chewing and pouting of jaw or excessive eye blinking

Question 6

When is the peak incidence of delirium tremens following alcohol withdrawal?

Answer 6

72 hours

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Alcohol withdrawal

symptoms: 6-12 hours
seizures: 36 hours

delirium tremens: 72 hours