Psychiatry Flashcards
what does aphonia mean?
inability to speak
Causes of aphonia
Recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy
Psychogenic
What is cotard syndrome?
Patient believes they are dead
May stop eating and drinking
What is De Clerambault’s syndrome?
Patient believes a famous person is in love with them
What is delusional parasitosis?
Patient has a fixed delusion that they are infested by bugs
Features of depression in the elderly
Physical complaints
Agitation
Insomnia
Management of depression in the elderly
SSRIs
Escitalopram (Lexapro). Fluoxetine (Prozac). Paroxetine (Paxil). Sertraline (Zoloft).
ECT - contraindications
Raised intracranial pressure
ECT short term side effects
Headache Nausea Short term memory impairment Memory loss of events prior to ECT Cardiac arrhythmia
ECT long term side effects
impaired memory
Stages of normal grief
Denial - may include hallucinations Anger Bargaining Depression Acceptance
How long does normal grief take?
up to 12 months
What is delayed grief?
Grieving starts >2 weeks after death
What is circumstantiality in a mental state exam?
Inability to answer a question without giving excessive, unncessary detail. Person does return to the original point.
What is tangentiality in a mental state exam?
Wandering from a topic without returning to it
What is neoligisms in a mental state exam?
New word formations which might include the combining of two words
What is clang association in a mental state exam?
When ideas are related to each other only by the fact they sound similar or rhyme
What is a word salad in a mental state exam?
Incoherent speech where real words are strung together in nonsense sentences
What is Knight’s move thinking in a mental state exam?
severe type of loosening of associations, where there are unexpected and illogical leaps from one idea to another. This is a feature of schizophrenia
What is flight of ideas in a mental state exam?
There are leaps from one topic to another but with discernible links between them
A feature of mania
What is perseveration in a mental state exam?
Repetition of ideas or words despite an attempt to change the topic
What is echolalia in a mental state exam?
Repetition of someone else’s speech, including the question that was asked
Mirtazapine side effects
Sedation and increased appetite
What is Othello’s syndrome?
Pathological jealousy that their partner is cheating on them
Socially unacceptable behaviour linked to these claims
Features of post concussion syndrome
Headache
Fatigue
Anxiety/depression
Dizziness
What is somatisation disorder?
Multiple physical symptoms for 2 years
Patient refuses to accept reassurance or negative test results
What is illness anxiety disorder? (hypochondriasis)
Persistent belief in presence of underlying serious disease .e.g cancer
Patient refuses to accept reassurance or negative test results
What is conversion disorder?
Loss of motor or sensory function
Not consciously feigned or seeking material gain
What is dissociative disorder?
Separating off certain memories from normal consciousness
What is factitious disorder?
Munchausen’s syndrome
intentional production of physical or psychological symptoms
What is malingering?
fraudulent symptoms to access financial or other gain
Protective factors for suicide
Family support
Having children at home
Religious belief
SSRIs - discontinuation symptoms
Increased mood change Restlessness Difficulty sleeping Unsteadiness Sweating GI symptoms Paraesthesia
SSRIs - interactions
NSAIDs - if prescribed then give PPI
Warfarin/heparin - consider mirtazapine instead
Aspirin
Triptans
Citalopram - effect on QTc interval
Dose dependent QT interval rpolongation
Avoid if long QT syndrome or on other drugs that prolong QT
SSRIs - side effects
GI side effects
Increased risk of GI bleeds
Hyponatraemia
Increased anxiety and agitation after starting SSRI
Examples of SSRIs
Fluoxetine
Paroxetine
Citalopram
How often to review patient when starting SSRI?
review after 2 weeks
unless <30 years then review every week as higher risk of suicidal thoughts and self harm
Features of sleep paralysis
Paralysis shortly after waking up or shortly before falling asleep
Hallucinations during the paralysis
Management of sleep paralysis
Clonazepam
SSRIs risk during pregnancy
1st trimester small increased risk of congenital heart defect
3rd trimester risk of persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn
Mental health act - section 2
Admission for assessment for up to 28 days
Approved mental health professional makes application on recommendation of 2 doctors
1 of the doctors must be ‘approved’ under section 12(2) of mental health act
Mental health act - section 3
Admission for up to 6 months, can be renewed
Approved mental health professional along with 2 doctors
Mental health act - section 4
72 hour assessment order
Used in emergency when section 2 would cause delay
GP, nearest relative or approved mental health professional
Mental health act - section 5(2)
a patient who is voluntarily in hospital can be legally detained by a doctor for 72 hours
Mental health act - section 5(4)
Allows a nurse to detain a patient who is voluntarily in hospital for 6 hours
Mental health act - section 17(a)
Supervised community treatment
Can be used to recall patients to hospital if they do not comply
Mental health act - section 135
Court order allowing police to break into property to remove a person to a place of safety
Mental health act - section 136
Someone found in a public place who appears to have a mental disorder can be taken by police to place of safety
only used for up to 24 hours
Treatment for personality disorders
Dialectical behavioural therapy
Risks of antipsychotics in elderly patients
Increased risk of stroke
Increased risk of venous thromboembolism
Which screening questions to ask for depression?
1) in the last month have you been often bothered by feeling down, depressed or helpless?
2) in the last month have you been bothered by having little interest or pleasure in doing things?
Which tools can be used to assess degree of depression?
HAD scale (hospital anxiety and depression)
PHQ-9 (patient health questionnaire)
In patients with subthreshold depressive symptoms, whom should you consider starting antidepressants?
Previous moderate or severe depression
Subthreshold symptoms for at least 2 years or that continue despite other interventions
Chronic physical health problem where mild depression complicates care of physical health
Low intensity psychosocial interventions for mild depression?
Individual guided self-help based on CBT therapy
Computerised CBT
Structured group physical activity programme
Group based CBT
Group based peer support programme for patients with chronic physical health problems
Principles of individual guided self-help based on CBT therapy
Supported by trained practitioner
6-8 sessions face to face or by telephone
over 9-12 weeks
Principles of group based CBT
given by two trained practitioners
10-12 meetings of up to 10 participants
Switching from one SSRI that is not fluoxetine to another SSRI
First SSRI should be withdrawn before alternative started
Switching from fluoxetine to another SSRI
Withdraw fluoxetine then leave a gap of 4-7 days before starting alternative SSRI
Switching from SSRI to tricyclic antidepressant
Cross taper
EXCEPT fluoxetine which should be withrawn
Switching from SSRI that is not fluoxetine to venlafaxine
Cross taper cautiously
Switching from fluoxetine to venlafaxine
Withdraw fluoxetine then start venlafaxine