Test 4 Study Guide Questions Flashcards
What is myasthenia gravis?
This is a disorder of the peripheral nervous system and is a chronic autoimmune disorder that affects the neuromuscular junction by causing muscle weakness/fatiguability.
What is the pathogenesis of myasthenia gravis?
IgG antibodies attach to the post synaptic acetylcholine receptors that then prevent the attachment of acetylcholine and transmission of nerve impulses. Eventually these receptors will be destroyed.
What are clinical manifestations of myasthenia gravis?
Patients will experience diplopia, ptosis, and ocular movement paralysis first. The paralysis will descend and the person will require ventilatory assistance. Over time, the disease will lead to death.
What is meningitis?
An infection of the meninges, specifically the pia mater
What are the most common bacterial causes of meningitis?
Meningococcus or penumococcus
What are signs and symptoms of meningitis?
- Photophobia
- Kernig’s Sign
- Brudzinki’s Sign
- Nuchal Rigidity
- Seizures
How is meningococcal bacteria transmitted?
Meningococcal is transmitted via air droplets and the individual must be isolated for 24 hours after antibiotic therapy is started. Additionally, their contacts should be given prophylactic medications to prevent infection.
What is the most common cause of meningitis in newborns?
Group B strep, E.coli, and listeria. Group B strep causes a severe and deadly infection in neonates and is transmitted to the infant from the mother’s birth canal.
What is Parkinson’s disease?
It is a degenerative disorder of the basal ganglia (CNS) resulting in the lack of the neurotransmitter, dopamine and is a defect of the substania nigra.
How does basal ganglia impairment affect those with Parkinson’s?
The basal ganglia is part of the diencephalon and works with the cerebellum to modify movements, specifically those movements transmitted via the extrapyramidal spinal tracts.
What is the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease?
The pathogenesis begins with the degeneration of dopamine producing neurons in the basal ganglia. Dopamine deficiency leads to an imbalance of more acetylcholine in the basal ganglia which is responsible for causing the abnormal movements associated with Parkinson’s disease
What are clinical manifestations of Parkinson’s disease?
- Resting tremor/hypertonia/rigidity
- Bradykinesia or akinesia
- Abnormal posturing (flexed forward)
- Shuffling gait
- No facial expression
- Weak, slurred speech
What is a subarachnoid hematoma?
This is a bleed occurring in the subarachnoid space
What are clinical manifestations of subarachnoid hematoma?
Positive Kernig’s and Brudzinski’s signs
What is a complication of subarachnoid hematoma?
Cerebral vasospasm (narrowing of brain blood vessel) is a complication of SAH and can lead to cerebral ischemia. can cause interstitial edema which is seen with hydrocephalus
What is Cushing’s Syndrome?
This syndrome occurs due to an over secretion of cortisol
What is the purpose of aldosterone and what happens when RAAS is inhibited?
The adrenal gland releases mineralocorticoids. The main mineralocorticoid is aldosterone. Aldosterone is the main hormone which regulates sodium in the body. The release of aldosterone is controlled by RAAS and when RAAS is inhibited, this results in a decrease of aldosterone secretion–> potassium accumulation because of increased renal reabsorption of potassium.
When renal sodium is not excreted properly, there is increase in potassium which can lead to arterial HTN in Cushing’s syndrome
What are complications of Cushing’s syndrome (over secretion of cortisol)?
- Abnormal distribution of fat to areas of body causing truncal obesity, moon afce, and the formation of a buffalo hump.
- The breakdown of bone leading to high urine calcium levels and increased risk for renal stones and osteoporosis
- Weakened collagen fibers leading to skin fragility and bruising. These patients will have purple striae (stretch marks)
- Anti-clotting effects secondary to the inhibition of arachidonic acid pathway which will cause these patients to bleed more easily.
- Hyper-secretion of androgens causes hirsutism and acne
- increased peripheral vasoconstriction and HTN, secondary to increased sensitivity to
catecholamines - Increases glucose levels in the body
What is Duchenne muscular dystrophy and how is it caused?
This is an x linked genetic disorder and is the most common form of muscular dystrophy. It is caused by the deletion of one or more exons on the DMD gene on the X chromosome.
What is the pathogenesis of DMD?
The protein dystrophin is absent in those with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, and this lack of dystrophin allows for muscle fibers to be torn apart during contraction. Free calcium then enters the muscle cells and causes cell death/necrosis which increases levels of CK in the body.
What are clinical manifestations of DMD?
- child will toe walk, have difficulty getting up from floor, and have frequent falls
- muscle weakness will start in the pelvic area and will have calf muscle hypertrophy
- Kyphoscoliosis, respiratory, and cardiac complications can occur. Most patients will die from pulmonary infections in their mid 20s.
What are the stages of increased intracranial pressure?
- Brain will compensate for increased ICP by vasoconstriction and compressing the venous system.
- ICP continues to increase. By this stage, the brain can no longer compensate for the increased ICP. Patients will start to show symptoms which include confusion, restlessness, lethargy, pupil/breathing changes.
- The ICP will approach the brain’s arterial pressure. Cellular hypoxia and hypercapnia begin and the patient decompensates quickly. Intracranial arterial vasodilation occurs secondary to CO2 accumulation. Symptoms include bradycardia, widening pulse pressure, pupils small and sluggish.
- Herniation occurs here due to the equalization of the ICP and arterial pressures. This equalization prevents cerebral perfusion causing cell death.
What occurs to the patient in a left sided stroke?
- Right sided weakness/paralysis
- Speech/language problems
- Slow, cautious behavior
- Impairment of organizational abilities
What occurs to the patient in a right sided stroke?
- Left sided weakness/paralysis
- Vision problems
- Quick, overly curious behavior
- Poor decision making
What is spinal shock?
It is COMPLETE, but TEMPORARY loss of function below the level of injury and occurs immediately post injury.
What are clinical manifestations that occur during spinal shock?
Flaccid paralysis of the body including loss of skeletal muscle use, bowel/bladder control, loss of sexual function. These patients will also be unable to regulate body temperature due to hypothalamus dysfunction.
What is an early indicator of diabetic nephropathy?
proteinuria and microalbuminuria
What are the 4 types of supratentorial herniations and where do they occur?
uncal, central, cingulate, and transcalvarial- these occur above the tentorial membrane