Psychiatry Flashcards
Define Bipolar disorder
A mood disorder characterised by episodes of depression and mania or hypomania
Aetiology of bipolar disorder?
Genetic factors: having a first degree relative affected with bipolar disorder increases an individual’s risk of developing bipolar and unipolar mood disorders, as well as schizoaffective disorder. It is a type of polygenic inheritance.
Environmental factors: environmental factors are not specific to this condition. Negative life events can trigger a manic or depressive episode
Neurobiological factors: increased dopamine activity may be important in the aetiology of mania.
Risk factors for bipolar disorder?
Genetic factors
Prenatal exposure to toxoplasma gondii
Premature birth <32 weeks gestation
Childhood maltreatment
Postpartum period
Cannabis use
What are the 2 main forms of bipolar disorder?
Bipolar I
Bipolar II
What is the difference between bipolar I and bipolar II?
Bipolar I: the person has experienced at least one episode of mania
Bipolar II: the person has experienced at least one episode of hypomania but not an episode of mania. They must also have experienced at least one episode
Describe the features of mania
ICD 10:
Elevated mood out of keeping with the patient’s circumstances
Elation accompanied by increasing energy resulting in overactivity, pressure of speech and a decreased need for sleep
Inability to maintain attention, often marked with distractibility
Self esteem which is often inflated with grandiosity and increased confidence
Loss of normal social inhibitions
The manic episode should last for at least 7 days and have a significant negative functional effect on work and social activities.
Describe the features of hypomania
Less severe than mania and is characterised by an elevation
Management of bipolar disorder?
Acute manic episode: atypical antipsychotic eg olanzapine or risperidone OR 2nd line try sodium valproate
Depressive episodes: avoid antidepressant as could cause rapidly cycling moods → try atypical antipsychotic eg olanzapine or quetiapine
General Maintenance:
1st line= lithium
Patients must not drive during an acute episode & must inform DVLA of diagnosis
CBT can be used as a psychological therapy
Define depression
Low mood lasting >2 weeks
Signs and symptoms of depression?
Core triad: low mood, anhedonia, anergia
Slow speech, withdrawn, sleep problems, change in appetite/libido, diurnal mood variation, agitation, guilt, hopelessness
Investigations for depression?
PHQ-9 Questionnaire
<4= none
5-9= mild
10-14= moderate
15-19= severe
>20= severe
Risk assessment: self harm and suicide
Bloods: rule out other causes of tiredness eg anaemia or hypothyroidism
Management of depression?
Mild: watch & weight w/ group CBT, individual self help etc
Moderate/Severe: SSRIs eg sertraline or citalopram if these are unsuccessful try SNRIs eg venlafaxine
Define GAD?
Excessive anxiety about a number of situations associated w/ heightened tension for >6 months
Define agoraphobia?
Fear of public spaces or fear of entering public spaces which immediate escape would not be possible. Marked avoidance of at least 2 of: crowds, public spaces, travelling alone, travelling away from home
Define social phobia?
Fear of social situations which may lead to embarrassment or humiliation or scrutiny or criticism from other people
Define panic disorder?
Acute attacks which are unpredictable in nature and not restricted to any particular circumstance or situation. Often first present to A&E
Symptoms of GAD?
Mental: restlessness, poor concentration, fatigue, irritability, nervousness, fear of losing control
Physical: increased muscle tension, light headedness, palpitations, tachycardia, GI disturbance, breathing difficulties, chest pain, sweating
Investigations for GAD?
GAD-7:
<4= normal
5-9= mild
10-14= moderate
15+= severe
Bloods/ECG= to rule out other causes
Management of GAD?
Psychoeducation and explaining GAD to the patient
Self help or psychoeducational groups
CBT
Medication:
SSRIs (sertraline or citalopram) or SNRIs (duloxetine)
Specialist input if cannot tolerate medication or medication/CBT not working
Define OCD?
Characterised by obsessive thoughts and compulsive acts that cause functional impairment and/or distress
What other conditions are associated with OCD?
Depression, schizophrenia, anorexia, tourette’s
Signs and symptoms of OCD?
Obsessive thoughts: patient’s own thoughts. Unpleasant, repetitive, intrusive and irrational thoughts that are regarding sexual or blasphemous subjects or surrounding death.
Compulsions: Repetitive behaviours or mental acts that the patient cannot resist performing and may be overt or covert → washing, checking, contamination, fears, doubts, symmetrical insistence, aggressive thoughts
Diagnostic criteria for OCD?
- obsession and/or compulsion
- time consuming
- causes distress or the patient knows it is unreasonable
Management of OCD?
Mild: low intensity psychological intervention eg CBT or ERP, may consider SSRI
Moderate: SSRI & high intensity psychological intervention.
Severe: refer to specialist and combine SSRI with ERP & CBT
Define PTSD?
Heightened state of stress occurring after a traumatic event or lots of little traumatic events and must occur over >4 weeks
Signs and symptoms of PTSD?
HEAR:
Hyperarousal, emotional numbing, avoidance, intrusive recollections
others may notice depression, drug/alcohol misuse, anger issues
Management of PTSD?
<4 weeks: acute stress reaction- watch & wait
1st line: (1 month after trauma) trauma focused CBT
1st line (3 months after trauma or 2nd line): EMDR
Define schizophrenia?
Splitting of thoughts or loss of contact with reality, affecting thoughts, perceptions (sight, smell, taste, touch, sounds), mood, personality, speech etc
Epidemiology of schizophrenia?
onset typically 2nd-3rd decade and second peak in middle age
Risk factors for schizophrenia?
family hx, black Caribbean ethnicity, migrated, live in urban environment, cannabis use
1st rank schizophrenia symptoms?
Auditory hallucinations: talking about the patient, thought echo or commenting on the patient’s behaviour
Thought disorders: thought insertion, thought withdrawal, thought broadcasting
Passivity phenomena: bodily sensations controlled by something else, actions, impulses or feelings controlled by others
Delusional perception: normal object perceived and then intense delusional insight into the object’s meaning
2nd rank schizophrenia symptoms?
Auditory hallucinations: 2nd person hallucinations, hallucinations in any other modality
Negative symptoms: incongruity, blunting of affect, amotivation, poverty of speech, poverty of thought, self neglect, lack of insight, anhedonia
Delusions: delusions of reference, paranoid or accusatory delusions
Investigations and diagnosis of schizophrenia?
Bloods- rule out other causes & ECG
Diagnosis: 1x first rank symptoms and 2x 2nd rank symptoms for >1 month
Management of schizophrenia?
1st line: atypical antipsychotics eg olanzapine, quetiapine
CBT: to modify CVD risk factors due to behaviours like smoking and links with antipsychotic medication
DVLA: must inform DVLA and must not drive until symptoms have been resolved for 3 months + letter from psychiatrist
Definition of personality disorders?
Life long, ingrained, maladaptive behaviours that characterises an individual and deviates markedly from cultural or accepted norm with onset in early childhood or late adolescence
What are the type A personality disorders?
(Mad)
Paranoid
Schizoid
Schizo-typal
What are the type B personality disorders?
(Bad)
Antisocial personality disorder
Borderline/EUPD
Histrionic
Narcissistic