Psychiatry Flashcards
What are the 3 core symptoms of depression?
- Anhedonia (loss of pleasure)
- Low mood
- Low energy
List 6 biological symptoms of depression
- Change in sleep (too much or too little)
- Change in appetite
- Unexplained aches and pains
- Low sex drive
- Constipation
- Slow movements
- Changes to menstrual cycle
List 6 psychological symptoms of depression
- Gulit
- Hoplessness
- Suicidal ideation
- Agitiation
- Loss of concentration
- Loss of motivation
What is the difference between grief and depression?
Grief - normal response, transient state.
What are the stages of grief?
- Denial
- Anger
- Bargaining
- Depression
- Acceptance
Dont neccesarily move through the stages as they are, spend a different amount of time in each stage.
*Grief can occur with any life event that involves a BIG CHANGE
List the different types of anxiety disorder
- Panic disorder
- OCD
- PTSD
- GAD
What is needed for a clinical diagnosis of depression?
> 2 WEEKS of 2+ of the core symptoms followed by other symptoms
What is a nihilistic delusion?
Belief that oneself or part of body not real or not working
How long should you continue anti-depressants for after the symptoms of depression go away?
6 months+
List 5 symptoms of hypomania
4+ days
- Elevated mood
- Increased energy
- Increased talkativeness
- Mild reckless behaviour
- Decreased need to sleep
- Sexual inhibition
- Sociability
What is flight of ideas?
Making links between things that are very loosely related
What is the treatment for acute manic episodes?
- Antipsychotics - haloperidol
- BZs - acute behavioural disturbances
NOTE: can be used to manage mood changes in the elderly
What medications are contraindicated for use on their own during a manic episode?
Antidepressants - should always be stopped / prescribed with a mood stabiliser
What is cyclothymia?
Cyclical mood variation to a lesser degree than in bipolar disorder
Must be present for > 2 years!
Give 4 symptoms of lithium toxicity
- Dry mouth / extreme thirst
- Very sleepy
- Strange movements
- Nausea and vomitting
- Diarrhoea
- Confusion
What is dysthmia?
Persistent low mood and deminished enjoyment, not severe enough to be consiudered as a depression
List 3 first rank symptoms of schizophrenia
- Delusional perceptions
- 3rd person auditory hallucinations
- Thought allientation (wtihdrawal, broadcast, inseriom, deletion)
- Passitivity - someone is controlling their feelings ans actions
What is the treatment for schizophrenia?
Antipsychotics
How do you monitor people on antipsychotics and why do you do this?
- ECG - potential QTC prolongation
- Glucose and metabolite monitoring - diabetes and metabollic syndrome
What is a psychosis?
severe mental disturbance characterised by loss of contact with external reality.
What is the difference between psychosis and neurosis?
In neurosis, no loss of connection with reality. No change of the way of thinking of personality.
Define GAD
- Generalised, persistent worry about events
- Individual finds difficult to control they worry , > 3 weeks.
What is the pathophysiology of schizophrenia?
Dopamine excess or over-activity in the mesolimbic dopamenergic pathways
Name 4 behavioural therapies
CBT
Graded self exposure
Define phobia
- Occur in response to a specific stimulus
What is agoraphobia?
Avodiance of places or situations that may be diificult to escape, e.g. crowds, public places, travelling from home
How would you differentiate between a phobia and panic disorder?
Panic attacks occur unpredictably and not in response to a phobia
What does the yerkes-dodson for curve describe in relation to anxiety?
Curve shows that increasing arousal leads to optimum performance up to a certain point, and then after that increasing arousal impairs performance.
Name 4 behavioural therapies
- CBT
- Exposure response prevention (ERP)
- Couple based courses
Name 4 behavioural therapies
- CBT
- Exposure response prevention (ERP)
- Couple based courses
- Motivational interviewing
- Indivual / group therapy
- Self-help groups
- Dialectal behavioural therapy
What is exposure response prevention?
Individual repeatedly exposed to the situation causing them anxiety, and prevented from performing the repetitive actions which overall lessens the anxiety.
Give 5 physical symptoms of a panic attack
- Palpatations
- Chest pain
- Tachypnoea
- Blurred vision
- Dizziness
- Sweating
What is the criteria for diagnosing OCD?
Obsessions and compulsions must be present on most days for > 2 weeks.
Not imposed by external influence - origionate from the mind of the individual.
At least one obession or compulsion must be acknowledged as excessive or unreasonable.
Carrying out the obsession / compulsion not pleasurable.
Cause distress or interfere with functioning.
List 3 side effects of SSRIs
WARNING TO ALL THOSE WITH DEPRESSION DUE TO THE FOLLOWING:
- Worsening of anxiety
- Suicidal thoughts
- Self-harm
What is an obsession?
What is a compulsion?
Obession is an unwanted intrusive thought, images that repeatedly enter the persons mind.
Compulsion - repetitive behaviour or act that makes that is performed with RELUCTANCE in response to the obsession - can be mental or physical. Not connected to the obsession in a realistic way.
How long does it take for SSRIs to kick in?
Around 12 weeks, so individuals need to be encouraged to stick at taking them.
What is body dismorphic disorder?
Preoccupation with an imagined defect in appeaance, or excessive concern over a small physical anomaly.
Can people become addicted to SSRIs?
No, cravings and tolerance do not occur.
Define stress
A mismatch between the external demands on an individual and their ability to cope
What is PTSD?
Post traumatic stress disoder
Follows a stressful event or situation, particularly a threatening or catastrphopic nature, likely to cause high stress in almost anyone.
Symptoms include:
- Increased arousal - autonomic sx
- Avoidance of reminders
- Numbing, detachment, estrangement from others
- Re-experiencing
What are the three categories of PTSD?
- Re-experiencing - flashbacks, nightmares, images or other sensory impressions from the event and reminders of the event that provoke distress.
- Avodiance or rumination
Avoid reminders, suppress memories or avoid thinking about it.
Ruminate excessively and prevent themselves from coming to terms with the experience.
Hyperarousal or emotional numbing
- irritability, difficulty concentrating, feeling of detachment, difficulty experiencing emptions, problems sleeping
What is an acute stress reaction?
Onset is minutes to hours, lasts < 3 days.
Response to exceptional physical and mental stress.
Symptoms > 1 month, assess for PTSD.
What is the treatment for PTSD?
Psychological:
- DEBRIEFING after an event
- CBT (trauma focussed)
- Eye movement densitisation and reprocessing (EMDR)
- Relaxation
- Treating comorbid conditions alongside, e.g. alcohol addictions.
Medications:
Treatment:
- SSRIs
- Stellate ganglion blocking therapy (reduce adrenaline)
List 5 symptoms of PTSD
- Intrusive thoughts / re-experiencing
- Avoidance
- Increased arousal
- Loss of interest in significant activities
- Numbing, detachment, estrangement from others
- Irritability
- Sleep disturbance
What are the current alcohol guidlines for men and women?
14 units per week for BOTH
What is in a unit of alcohol?
10ml or 8g pure alcohol
What are the 2 components of dependance?
PSYCHOLICAL
PHYSIOLOGICAL
List the signs of alcohol dependance
CANT STOP
C – compulsion to drink alcohol A – aware of harmful effects but persists N – Neglect of other activities T – tolerance to alcohol S – stopping causes withdrawal T – time preoccupied with alcohol O – out of control use P – persistent, futile wish to cut down
What vitamin are alcoholics deficient in?
Vit b12 - THAIMINE.
What is a hypochondriac?
Persistent belief in the presence of an underlying serious DISEASE, e.g. cancer
The patient refuses to accept reassurance or negative test results
List 3 public health measures aimed to reduce alcohol addiction
- Increasing the alcohol tax
- Restricting sales on alcohol
- Education in schools
What is the model of behaviour change that could be used for alcohol addiction? (5 stages)
- Pre-contemplation
- Contemplation
- Planning/preparation
- Action
- Maintenance
- Sustained maintenance OR potential for relapse
List 3 screening tools used to identify alcohol dependacny
- AUDIT (alcohol use disorders identification test), > 15
- SADQ (severity of alcohol dependance questionnaire)
- CAGE
What is the name of the screening tool used to screen, diagnose, monitor and measure the severity of deression?
PHQ-9 form
How do you treat acute alcohol withdrawal?
- BZs - reduce tremor and agitation
- Vit B1 (pabrinex)
- IV fluids
- Correct nutritional and electrolyte balance
What medication can be used long term to help people withdrawing from alcohol?
Naltrexone (also can be used in opoid abuse, blocks the opid receptors)
What is DTs?
Delerium tremens
Acute confusion and disorientation
> GABA
Withdrawal
Develops 2-3 days after the last drink of alcohol
What are the stages of alcohol withdrawal?
Minor < 10 hours
Major 10-72 hours
- visual hallucinations
- tachycardia
- Hypertension and increased BP
- Tremor
Seizures
DTs - 2/3 days
- Visual hallucinations
- Fever
- Disoreintated
- Confused
What is the cause of Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome?
Vit b1 or thiamine deficiency
What are the 3 cardinal symptoms of Wernickes?
- ATAXIA
- OPTHALMOPLEGIA (most commonly 6th nerve palsy)
- CHANGES IN MENTAL STATE - Confusion
What are the symptoms of paracetamol overdose?
- RUQ pain - liver
- Vomitting
How do you treat Wernickes/ Korsakoffs?
IV thaimine and glucose
What are the two cardinal symptoms of Korsakoffs?
(IRREVERSBILE)
- Contabulation
- STM loss
What is delirium?
Acute confusional state
List the key features of delirium
- Inattention
- Perceptual or cognitive disturbance
- ## Disorientation
How do you treat delirium?
Find out what is causing it ad try to treat this
What is a hallucination?
Perceptions occurring in the absence of an external physical stimulus.
Modalities include Auditory, visual, olfactory, gustatory, tactile, somatic
What is a delusion?
A false, unshakeable idea or belief which is out of keeping with the patient’s educational, cultural and social background. It is held with extraordinary conviction and subjective certainty. It is a phenomenon that is outside normal experience.
What two things can be seen in the brain of someone with alzheimers dementia?
- Tau tangles
- B-amyloid plaques
What would you see on a CT scan of someone with Alzheimers dementia?
- Atrophy
- Enlarged ventricles
How would you treat Alzheimers dementia?
NOT CURE, can reduce progression and increase life expectancy:
- NMDA antagonist - Memantine
- AchE inhibitor - Rivastigmine
What can be seen in the brain of someone with Parkinsons dementia?
Lewy bodies - basal ganglia and cerebral cortex
What medication must you avoid in patients with Parkisons / Lewy body dementia?
ANTI=PSYCHOTICS
List 7 causes of delirium
PINCH ME
Pain Infection Nutrition Constipation Hydration
Medicines
Environment
What is the method of transmission of huntingtons disease?
AUTOSOMAL DOMINANT, 100% penetrance
What is the gene defect in Huntingtons disease?
CAG repeat on chromosome 4
What is the pathophysiology of huntingtons?
GABA inhibition - increased stimulation of thalamus and cortex = increased movements. Increased dopamine.
List 4 signs of huntingtons
- Chorea (writhting movements)
- Cognitive decline - cortical atrophy
- Change in personality
What is munchausens syndrome?
Psychological disorder - someone pretends to be ill / deliberately produces symptoms of illness in themselves - main intention for this is so they are at the centre of attention.
How are personality disorders characterised?
Clustered into groups - A, B and C
- A = odd/eccentric
- B = flamboyant/dramatic
- C = fearful/anxious
What is the difference between dementia and delirium?
Dementia is chronic and progressive. No clouding of consciousness.
Depression
- Rapid onset
- Biological symptoms too such as weight loss and poor sleep
- MMSE - variable score
What personality disorders are classed in group B?
Borderline/emotionally unstable
Histrionic
Narcissistic
Antisocial
What personality disorders are classed in group C?
Avoidant/anxious
Dependent
Anankastic/obsessive compulsive
What are the stages of the MSE?
Appearance and Behaviour Speech Affect/Mood Thoughts & Delusions Perceptions & Hallucinations Cognition Insight
What is phenomenology?
Descriptions of signs and symptoms
List 4 signs of mania
- Pressure of speech
- Flight of ideas
- Grandiose delusions
- Increased energy / activity
- Over-familiarity
- Increased sex drive
- Decreased sleep
Risk is likely for these individuals
What is an illusion?
Misperceptions of real external stimuli
What is a hypnopompic hallucination?
Hallucination on waking
What is a hypnogognic hallucination?
Hallucination on falling asleep
What is a delusional perception?
A delusional belief resulting from a perception.
For example, a perfectly normal event such as the traffic lights turning red may be interpreted by the patient as the defining moment when they realised they were being monitored by the government
What is confabulation?
Giving a false account to fill a gap in memory.
List 3 psychological symptoms of panic disorder
Feeling of impending doom Fear of dying Fear of losing control Depersonalisation Derealisation
Give some pros of classifying mental health disorders
- Allows for population study and health planning
- Education of current and future practitioners
- Organisation of disorders into diagnostic cases and reliable treatment options
- Psycho education of patients and their families
Give some cons of classifying mental health disorders
- Over generalised, de emphasises individual characteristics
- Knowing diagnostic criteria can lead to misattribution of symptoms – confirmation bias
- Diagnostic labels can lead to negative consequences – stigmatizes people
- Medicalise variations in human behaviour
How can you differentiate between lewy body dementia and parkinsons disease?
Lewy body = memory problems come first, or memory and movement problems come within 12 months of eachother
Parkisons = movement disorder first, memory problems occur > 12 months later
What are the 3 cardinal signs of parkinsonism?
- Bradykinesia
- Tremor
- Rigidity
A man comes to see you in clinic. He has become forgetful, but says these periods have fluctuated and gotten worse over time but not gradually. He seems himself but is becoming frustrated by these bouts of worsening forgetfulness. What type of dementia is it likely that this man has?
Vascular
- Stepwise progression
- Fluctuations in symptoms
- No personality change
- Would explore CV risk factors
List 5 members of the psychiatry MDT
- CMHN
- social worker
- OT
- Psychologist
- Psychotherapist
Name 3 models of psychotherapy
- Psychodynamic
- CBT
- Counselling
- Cognitive analyhtical therapy
- Interpersonal therapy
- Dialectic behavioural therapy
- Family therapy
- Marital tehrapy
What are the stages of CBT?
THoughts, feelings, physical and behaviour.
What are the stages of the MSE?
ASEPTIC
Appearance and Behaviour Speech Emotions (mood and affect) Perceptions & Hallucinations Thoughts & Delusions Insight Cognition
What is the mental health act?
Main part - allows for ‘sectioning’ - the compulsory admission to hospital for those that are mentally ill (doctors should persaude patients to come in voluntarily, however in some circumstances patients may have to be sectioned to allow them treatment against their own will).
Also covers the care and treatment of mentally disordered individuals, the care of their propety and other related matters.
What is section 2 of the MHA?
Assessment - allows the patient to be sectioned for up to 28 DAYS.
Signed by 2 doctors and one social worker. Patient must be examined by 2 doctors within 5 days of eachother. Doctors cannot be employed by same organisation. One of the doctors has to have previosuly known the paitent.
Treatment can be given agaisnt the patients will, as this is seen as part of the assessment.
What is section 3 of the MHA?
Treatment - same as assessment but lasts for 6 months.
Cannot be detained if the nearest relative of the patient rejects.
What is section 4 of the MHA?
Emegergency order - admission for emergency treatment, lasts up to 72 HOURS.
Can be converted to a section 2 MHA and approved by a doctor.
What is serotonin syndrome
Excess of serotonin
How do SSRIs work?
Block reabsorption of serotonin in the synpatic cleft, increasing the amount available
What is cotards syndrome?
Feeling like a body part had died/does not exist
List some examples of SSRIs
- Sertraline
- Paroxetine
What is 5HT?
Serotonin
What is the precursor molecule of noradrenaline?
Dopamine
From what amino acid does dopamine, noradrenaline, adrenaline come from
Tyrosine
What is the cause of serotonin syndrome
Increased levels of serotonin - usually due to being on more than 1 SSRI at a time
What is the treatment for serotonin syndrome?
- Stop all serotonin medications the individual is on
- Supportive
- CYPROHEPTADINE - serotonin antagonist
When taking MAOIs, what foods must the individual avoid?
TYRAMINE containing:
- Strong or ages cheeses
- Beers on tap / home brewed
- Cured or smoked meats and fish
- Certain beans such as fava and broad beans
When taking MAOIs, what foods must the individual avoid?
TYRAMINE containing:
- Strong or ages cheeses
- Beers on tap / home brewed
- Cured or smoked meats and fish
- Certain beans such as fava and broad beans
Excess tyramine - increases in nerve endings, increasing the amount of catecholamines, which can lead to a hypertensive crisis and stroke.
Why must people on lithium be monitored?
Narrow therepeutic range (0.8-1.2) - therefore therepeutic monitoring is needed to avoid toxicity
What levels of lithium are cinsidered to be toxic?
> 1.5 mEq/L
What are the clinical features of anorexia?
Restriction of energy intake relative requirements, leading to low body weight in context of age, sex, development and physical health.
(Weight loss > 15% below normal for weight and height).
Intense fear or becoming fat and dreading fatness, in pursuit of abnormally low weight target, even though underweight.
Disturbance in the way in which one’s body weight or shape is experienced, undue influence of body weight or shape on self-evaluation, or denial of the seriousness of the current low body weight.
BMI < 17.5kg/m2 (> 18 years old, for younger than this BMI cwentil charts used as their may be an inappropriate lack fo weight gain rather than loss)
List 4 biological features of anorexia
- GI symptoms - abdo pains, constipation, fullness
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Intolerance of cold
- Ammenhorroea
- Low pulse rate
- Low blood pressure
- Low body temperature
What may be seen on an ECG of someone with anorexia?
- Arrythmia –> Hypokalaemia
- Long QT interval, T wave changes
What is neuroleptic malignant syndrome?
A medical emergency which occurs in patients taking antipsychotics. It is characterised by altered mental state, generalised rigidity, fever, fluctuating blood pressure and high temperature.
What are medically unexplained symptoms (MUS)?
Physical symptoms for longer than 3 months which affects functioning but can not be readily explained
What drug can be used to ween someone off herion?
Methadone
What is section 2 of the MHA?
Assessment - allows the patient to be sectioned for up to 28 DAYS.
Signed by 2 doctors and one approved social worker (ASW). Patient must be examined by 2 doctors (one ST12) within 5 days of each other. Doctors cannot be employed by same organisation. One of the doctors has to have previosuly known the paitent.
Treatment can be given agaisnt the patients will, as this is seen as part of the assessment.
What is section 3 of the MHA?
Treatment - same as assessment but lasts for 6 months.
Cannot be detained if the nearest relative of the patient rejects.
Can be renewed - 6 months - 1 year.
What is the difference between a learning difficulty and a learning disability?
Learning difficulty doesnt affect intellect, whereas learning disability is linked to overall congntiive impairment - interfere with learning basic skills and higher skills.
What drug can be used to reverse opoid overdose?
Naloxone