PSYCHIATRY Flashcards
What are the 3 core symptoms of depressive disorder?
- Low mood
- for most of the day, every day, with little variation despite changes in time, circumstance or activity
- typically worse in morning - Anhedonia
- loss of interest/pleasure in daily life, especially in things they previously enjoyed - Fatigue
What are some other common symptoms of depressive disorder?
- Change to appetite (increased or decreased)
- Disturbed sleep - insomnia, early waking, naps in day
- Psychomotor retardation or agitation
- Decreased libido
- Poor concentration
- Feelings of worthlessness
- Inappropriate guilt
- Recurrent thoughts of death/suicide
When is it appropriate to refer someone with depressive disorder to psychiatry?
- Significant perceived risk of suicide, or harm to others, or of severe self-neglect
- If there are psychiatric symptoms
- Hx, or clinical suspicion of, bipolar disorder
- In all cases where a child/teen is presenting with major depression
What medical investigations should you perform in a patient presenting with suspected depressive disorder?
- Pulse, BP, BMI = baseline required as some ADs cause weight gain
- FBC, U+E, LFT, TFT, HbA1c = r/o metabolic causes of depression
- GGT level in alcoholics
- ECG = needed prior to starting ADs as some can cause QTc prolongation (escitalopram, citalopram, amitriptyline)
How do you manage mild depression?
Low intensity psychological interventions, focused on sleep hygiene, anxiety management + problem solving techniques
- individualized guided self-help e.g. books
- computerised CBT
- structured group based physical activity
ADs only required if symptoms progress beyond 8 weeks OR if there is a PMH of known depression
How do you manage moderate depression?
COMBINATION THERAPY:
- generic SSRI
- CBT: 8-12 sessions/interpersonal therapy
Should notice a response in about 12 weeks
What drugs are used to manage depressive disorders?
1st Line = SSRI
- Advise it may take 6-weeks to take effect + should be continued for at least 6 months after recovery
- if no response after 6 weeks, try another drug in same class
Fluoxetine = only one licensed for under 18s
Sertraline = best in IHD
Citalopram/escitalopram
Side effects include
- agitation (hence not given at night)
- nausea + GI upset
- sexual dysfunction
- prolonged QTc
- increased motivation initially
- low seizure threshold
- increased risk of bleeding
What mnemonic can be used to remember important Qs to ask in a depression history?
DEAD SWAMP
D – Depression = mood
E – Energy levels
A – Anhedonia
D – Death – thoughts about death and self harm – i.e. Risk Assessment!
S – Sleep pattern
W – Worthlessness, guilt
A – Appetite
M – Mentation – decreased ability to think and concentrate
P – psychomotor agitation and retardation
When do you consider hospitalization in a patient with severe depression?
- Significant suicidal ideation
- Intent + lack of protective factors
- Intent to hurt others
- Unable to care for themselves/adhere to treatment
- Have psychotic symptoms
- Uncontrolled agitation plus high risk of impulsive behaviour
When is ECT indicated to use in depression?
- Presence of psychotic features
- Active suicidal thoughts
- Unresponsive to ADs
What assessment tool should be used to monitor treatment in depression?
PHQ-9 assessment tool
What are some side effects of ECT?
- memory loss
- short-term retrograde amnesia
- confusion
- headaches
- clumsiness
What are the symptoms of psychotic depression?
- DELUSIONS
- mood congruent = guilt, persecution, punishment - HALLUCINATIONS
- auditory, visual, olfactory - AFFECT IS SAD - not flat
- severe anhedonia, loss of interest, psychomotor retardation
What is discontinuation syndrome? What are the symptoms?
Can occur when patients suddenly stop taking SSRIs
- GI upset
- neuro + flu-like symptoms
- sleep disturbance
In what conditions should you use SSRIs with caution?
- Epilepsy
- Peptic ulcer disease (risk of GI bleed)
- Young people - increased risk of self-harm + suicide
- Hepatic impairment - may require dose reduction
Why should SSRIs + MAO-B inhibitors not be prescribed together?
As they can precipitate serotonin syndrome
What information do you need to tell patients before starting SSRIs?
- Symptoms should start to improve after 2 weeks
- discuss referral for CBT which may provide more long-term treatment
- Continue medication for at least 6 months after resolution of symptoms
- Do NOT stop taking suddenly (discontinuation syndrome)
- when time comes to stop treatment, it will be done gradually over 4 weeks
- discuss side effects
What drugs can cause serotonin syndrome?
- MAO-inhibitors (parkinson drug) => avoid ondansetron in PD
- SSRIs
- Ecstasy
- Amphetamines
What are the clinical features of serotonin syndrome?
- Neuromuscular excitation = hyperreflexia, myoclonus, rigidity
- Autonomic nervous system excitation e.g. hyperthermia
- Altered mental state
How do you manage serotonin syndrome?
- Supportive - including IV Fluids
- Benzodiazepines
- More severe cases are managed with serotonin antagonists e.g. cryoheptadine or chlorpromazine
How do you distinguish between mania and hypomania?
Hypomania might be used where patients still have some insight that they are unwell
and do not have full-blown delusions. Insight is completely lost and grandiose delusions
present in the more severe form- mania. In mania impairment must be severe enough to impair function.
True mania tends to last more than 7 days whilst hypomania usually 4-7 days with NO PSYCHOSIS
What is (i) Bipolar 1 (ii) Bipolar 2?
(i) underlying depression, interspersed with episodes of mania (tends to be 1:1)
(ii) depression tends to predominate, hypomania/less severe episodes tend to occur + less frequently.
Describe what you would expect in a MSE of a Bipolar patient.
- Appearance – bright coloured clothes, eccentric
- Behaviour – over friendly, perhaps inappropriate
- Speech – fast, and difficult to interrupt
- Mood – elated/irritable, euphoric, lability
- Thoughts – fast, sentences may be logical, but linked by puns and similar sounding words, and not by ideas, patient may be very self important and have grandiose ideas. Racing thoughts, flight of ideas, grandiosity
- Perception – Hallucinations – usually occur with elated mood
- Cognition – distractibility
What investigations should be performed in a patient with suspected Bipolar disorder?
- For depression = PHQ-9, PRIME-MD, PHQ-2 questionnaire
- For mania = mood disorder questionnaire (MDQ)
- R/O infection + drug use
- Perform CT, EEG, toxicology screen
- Enquire about personal + FHx of mental health
How do you treat an acute manic disorder?
1st Line = Atypical antipsychotic e.g. IM Olanzapine, risperidone, quetiapine, Clozapine (Be weary of Agranulocytosis!)
2nd Line = try Valproate, lamotrigine (anticonvulsants), or Lithium
What are the mood stabilisers used in Bipolar disorder ?
- Lithium
- Valproate
- Carbamazepine
What comorbidities are pts with Bipolar disorder at increased risk of?
- Diabetes
- COPD
- Cardiovascular disease
What are the side effects of Lithium use?
- Diarrhoea, N+V
- Weight gain
- Fine Tremor
- Hypothyroidism
- Thirst (polydipsia due to nephrogenic diabetes insipidus)
- Renal toxicity (excreted by kidneys, contraindicated in renal impairment)
- Idiopathic intracranial HTN
- Leucocytosis
- HyperPTH + subsequent raised calcium
What are the symptoms of lithium toxicity?
- Reduced vision
- Coarse tremor
- Hyperreflexia
- Confusion
- Polyuria
- Seizure
What can precipitate lithium toxicity?
- dehydration
- renal failure
- drugs e.g. thiazides, ACEi/ARBs, NSAIDs, metronidazole