Psychiatry Flashcards
state 3 risk factors for depression
Family history
Significant life event
Physical health conditions
What are the 2 core symptoms of depression?
Low mood
Anhedonia (a lack of pleasure or interest in activities)
What are some emotional symptoms of depression?
Anxiety
Irritability
Low self-esteem
Guilt
Hopelessness about the future
What are some cognitive symptoms of depression?
Poor concentration
Slow thoughts
Poor memory
What are some physical symptoms of depression?
Low energy (tired all the time)
Abnormal sleep (particularly early morning waking)
Poor appetite or overeating
Slow movements
What environmental factors can contribute to depression?
Potential triggers (e.g. stress, grief or relationship breakdown)
Home environment (e.g., housing situation, who they live with and their neighbourhood)
Relationships with family, friends, partners, colleagues and others
Work (e.g., work-related stress or unemployment)
Financial difficulties (e.g., poverty and debt)
Safeguarding issues (e.g., abuse)
Every patient with depression should be asked about what risks?
Self-neglect
Self-harm
Harm to others (including neglect)
Suicide
What are some essential factors to cover in a depression history?
Caring responsibilities (e.g., children or vulnerable adults)
Social support
Drug use
Alcohol use
Forensic history (e.g., violence or abuse)
What questionnaire can be used to assess the severity of depression? what do the scores mean?
PHQ-9 questionnaire
ask over the past 2 weeks
5-9 indicates mild depression
10-14 indicates moderate depression
15-19 indicates moderately severe depression
20-27 indicates severe depression
What are the management options for depression?
Active monitoring and self-help
Address lifestyle factors (exercise, diet, stress and alcohol)
Therapy (e.g., cognitive behavioural therapy, counselling or psychotherapy)
Antidepressants (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are first-line)
What are the additional specialist treatments for unresponsive or severe depression?
Antipsychotic medications (e.g., olanzapine or quetiapine)
Lithium
Electroconvulsive therapy
State 3 side effects of ECT
headache, muscle aches and short-term memory loss
What are the 3 key symptoms of psychosis?
Delusions
Hallucinations
Thought disorder
What scale can be used to asses postnatal depression?
Edinburgh postnatal depression scale
How long after birth does postnatal depression usually peak?
around three months after birth
How long after birth does puerperal psychosis usually present?
starting a few weeks after birth
What are the 3 main classes of antidepressants?
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs)
Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs)
What is the mechanism of action of SSRIs?
blocking the reuptake of serotonin by the presynaptic membrane on the axon terminal
What is the mechanism of action of SNRIs?
blocking the reuptake of serotonin and noradrenaline by the presynaptic membrane
Name 4 examples of SSRIs
sertraline, citalopram, escitalopram, fluoxetine, paroxetine
What SSRI is considered safest in heart disease?
Sertraline
What is the key side effect of Citalopram?
can prolong the QT interval
what is the usual first line antidepressant in children and adolescents?
Fluoxetine
What are the key side effects of SSRIs?
Gastrointestinal symptoms (e.g., nausea and diarrhoea)
Headaches
Sexual dysfunction, such as loss of libido, erectile dysfunction and difficulty achieving an organism
Hyponatraemia (due to SIADH)
Anxiety or agitation, typically in the first few weeks of use
Increased suicidal thoughts, suicide risk and self-harm (this applies to all antidepressants)
Increased risk of bleeding (e.g., gastrointestinal bleeding, intracranial haemorrhage and postpartum haemorrhage)
Name 2 examples of SNRIs?
Duloxetine
Venlafaxine
what condition are SNRIs contraindicated in?
uncontrolled hypertension
What is duloxetine used to treat?
neuropathic pain, particularly diabetic neuropathy
what are the key issues with venlafaxine?
more likely to cause discontinuation symptoms when stopped
It has an increased risk of death from overdose
What are the side effects of TCA ?
arrhythmias, including tachycardia, prolonged QT interval and bundle branch block
very dangerous in overdose, with a high risk of death
anticholinergic side effects, such as dry mouth, constipation, urinary retention, blurred vision and cognitive impairment
What are the key side effects of Mirtazapine?
sedation, increased appetite and weight gain
When should you arrange a follow up when starting antidepressants?
review within two weeks of starting an antidepressant (one week in patients aged 18-25 due to the increased risk of suicide)
By what time period is there usually a noticeable response to treatment with antidepressants?
within 2-4 weeks of treatment
When do you need to cross-taper antidepressants?
Fluoxetine due to long half life
Others need to be cross-tapered over several weeks (e.g., switching between an SSRI and mirtazapine), gradually reducing the dose of the existing drug while increasing the dose of the new one.
how long should antidepressants be continued for once started?
continued for at least six months before stopping (or two years in recurrent depression)
What are discontinuation symptoms of antidepressants?
typically start within 2-3 days of stopping treatment and resolve within 1-2 weeks. Possible symptoms include:
Flu-like symptoms
Electric shock-like sensations
Irritability
Insomnia
Vivid dreams
What are the 3 categories of symptoms in serotonin syndrome?
Altered mental state (e.g., anxiety and agitation)
Autonomic nervous system hyperactivity (e.g., tachycardia, hypertension and hyperthermia)
Neuromuscular hyperactivity (e.g., hyperreflexia, tremor and rigidity)
What symptoms can severe serotonin syndrome cause?
confusion, seizures, severe hyperthermia (over 40°C) and respiratory failure
What is the management of serotonin syndrome?
supportive care (e.g., sedation with benzodiazepines) and withdrawal of the causative medications
What is the definition of self-harm?
intentional self-injury without suicidal intent
What groups of people are more at risk of suicide?
three times more common in men and most common around the age of 50 years. It also increases in older age.
What are the steps in the cycle of self-harm ?
Emotional suffering
Emotional overload
Panic
Self-harming
Temporary relief
Shame and guilt
what are some presenting features that increase the risk of suicide?
Previous suicidal attempts
Escalating self-harm
Impulsiveness
Hopelessness
Feelings of being a burden
Making plans
Writing a suicide note
What background factors may increase the risk of suicide?
Mental health conditions
Physical health conditions
History of abuse or trauma
Family history of suicide
Financial difficulties or unemployment
Criminal problems (prisoners have a high rate of suicide)
Lack of social support (e.g., living alone)
Alcohol and drug use
Access to means (e.g., firearms)
What are some protective factors that may help reduce the risk of suicide?
Social support and community
Sense of responsibility to others (e.g., children or family)
Resilience, coping and problem-solving skills
Access to mental health support
when can activated charcoal be given?
may be given within one hour of overdose of various substances to reduce the absorption
what is the treatment for opioid overdose?
Naloxone
What is the treatment of benzodiazepine overdose?
Flumazenil
What is the treatment for overdose with beta blockers?
Glucagon for heart failure or cardiogenic shock
Atropine for symptomatic bradycardia
What is the treatment of overdose of calcium channel blockers?
Calcium chloride or calcium gluconate
What is the treatment for cocaine overdose?
Diazepam
What is the management of carbon monoxide toxicity?
100% oxygen
What are the features of mania?
Abnormally elevated mood
Significant irritability
Increased energy
Decreased sleep
Grandiosity, ambitious plans, excessive spending and risk-taking behaviours
Disinhibition and sexually inappropriate behaviour
Flight of ideas
Pressured speech
Psychosis
what is diagnosis of bipolar disorder based on?
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5)
What does bipolar I disorder involve?
at least one episode of mania
What does bipolar II disorder involve?
at least one episode of major depression and at least one episode of hypomania
What is Cyclothymia?
milder symptoms of hypomania and low mood. The symptoms are not severe enough to significantly impair their function
What are the treatment options for an acute manic episode?
Antipsychotic medications (e.g., olanzapine, quetiapine, risperidone or haloperidol) are first-line
Other options are lithium and sodium valproate
Existing antidepressants are tapered and stopped
What are the treatment options for an acute depressive episode in bipolar disorder?
Olanzapine plus fluoxetine
Antipsychotic medications (e.g., olanzapine or quetiapine)
Lamotrigine
What is used for the long-term management of bipolar disorder?
Lithium
other: sodium valproate, olanzapine
When should serum lithium levels be taken?
12 hours after the most recent dose
What is the initial target range for lithium?
0.6–0.8 mmol/L
what are some potential adverse effects of lithium?
Fine tremor
Weight gain
Chronic kidney disease
Hypothyroidism and goitre
Hyperparathyroidism and hypercalcaemia
Nephrogenic diabetes insipidus
How long do symptoms need to be persistent for in generalised anxiety disorder?
occurring most days for at least six months, and not caused by substance use or another condition
State 3 secondary causes of anxiety
Substance use (e.g., caffeine, stimulants, bronchodilators and cocaine)
Substance withdrawal (e.g., alcohol or benzodiazepine withdrawal)
Hyperthyroidism
Phaeochromocytoma
Cushing’s disease
What are some emotional and cognitive symptoms of generalised anxiety disorder?
Excessive worrying
Unable to control the worrying
Restlessness
Difficulty relaxing
Easily tired
Difficulty concentrating