Unit I Flashcards
what are the seven attributes of a symptom
- location
- quality
- quantity/severity
- timing
- onset
- remitting/exacerbating factors
- associated manifestations
what are the seven components of the medical interview
- chief concern
- HPI
- medications
- past medical history
- family history
- social history
- review of systems
signs
object observable phenomena associated with a disease
symptoms
subjective patient reported phenomena associated with disease
what are at least four ways that providers interact nonverbally with a patient
- eye contact
- facial expression
- posture
- head position and movement
- interpersonal distance
- placement of arms and legs
open ended questions
questions that allow the patient to tell a story
closed ended questions
questions that are focused on trying to find a particular piece of information
leading questions
questions that suggest a particular answer
what are ten techniques of skilled medical interviewing
- active listening
- empathic responses
- guided questioning
- nonverbal communication
- validation
- reassurance
- partnering
- summerization
- transitions
- empowering the patient
three aspects of active listening
- being closely attentive to the patient
- taking into consideration the patients emotional state
- using verbal and non verball cues
what are three examples of empathic responses
- how do you feel about that
- that sounds upsetting
- you must be feeling sad
what is the goal of guided questioning
allowing the patient to communcate their story in their own words without interruption
what are three examples of guided questions
- moving from open to focused questions
- asking questions that need a guided response
- asking a series of questions one at a time
paralanguage
pacing, tone, and volume of speech
validation
affirm the legitimacy of the patients experiences
why is reassurance different for a provider than a casual person? what is a good starting point when reassuring the patient
because the instinctual response is telling someone everything will be ok when as a provider that might be premature
identifying and acknowledging patient concerns
partnering
building rapport with patients
rapport
trust between the patient and the provider
what are two reasons why summarization an example of skilled interviewing
- it proves to the patient that you were listening
- it gives you a chance to pick on something you missed
why are transitions considered a sign of being a skilled interview
it can put the patient at ease when you change from one part of the interview to the other
what is empowering the patient and why is it a sign of skilled interviewing
giving the patients a feeling of control over their illness
allowing them to ask questions and take part in their treatment plan
empathy
the capacity to identify with the patient and feel their pain as your own
what is an example of an empathic repsonse
i cannot imagine what you are going through
what are 6 of the 11 indications that a mental health screening should be done
- Medically unexplained physical symptoms—more than half have depression
- or anxiety disorder
- Multiple physical or somatic symptoms or “high symptom count”
- High severity of the presenting somatic symptom
- Chronic pain
- Symptoms for more than 6 weeks
- Physician rating as a “difficult encounter”
- Recent stress
- Low self-rating of overall health
- Frequent use of health care
- substance abuse
what are the five most common mental disorders encountered in practice
- anxiety
- depression
- alcohol
- somatoform
- eating disorders
what are two high yield questions to idenift depression
- Over the past 2 weeks, have you felt down, depressed, or hopeless?22,28,29
- Over the past 2 weeks, have you felt little interest or pleasure in doing things (anhedonia)?
what are three high yield questions to identify anxiety
- Over the past 2 weeks, have you been feeling nervous, anxious, or on edge?
- Over the past 2 weeks, have you been unable to stop or control worrying?
- Over the past 4 weeks, have you had an anxiety attack—suddenly feeling fear or panic?
what are 12 terms related to the mental status exam
- attention
- thought process
- affect
- memory
- thought content
- mood
- orientation
- insight
- language
- perceptions
- judgement
- higher cognitive function
attention
The ability to focus or concentrate over time on a
particular stimulus or activity—an inattentive
person is easily distractible and may have
difficulty giving a history or responding to
questions.
thought process
The process of registering or recording information,
tested by asking for immediate repetition of
material, followed by storage or retention of
information.
orientation
Awareness of personal identity, place, and time;
requires both memory and attention
perception
Sensory awareness of objects in the environment
and their interrelationships (external stimuli);
also refers to internal stimuli such as dreams or
hallucinations.
thought processes
The logic, coherence, and relevance of the patient’s
thought as it leads to selected goals; how people
think
insight
Awareness that symptoms or disturbed behaviors
are normal or abnormal; for example, distinguishing
between daydreams and hallucinations that
seem real.
judgement
Process of comparing and evaluating alternatives
when deciding on a course of action; reflects values
that may or may not be based on reality and social
conventions or norms
affect
A fluctuating pattern of observable behaviors that
expresses subjective feelings or emotions through
tone of voice, facial expression, and demeanor
mood
A more pervasive and sustained emotion that colors
the person’s perception of the world.
language
A complex symbolic system for expressing, receiving,
and comprehending words
higher congnitive function
Assessed by vocabulary, fund of information, abstract
thinking, calculations, construction of objects that
have two or three dimensions
what are five strategies to facilitate effective communication
- active listening
- empathic responses
- guided questioning
- nonverbal communication
- validation
five questions for general review of symptoms
- Usual weight
- recent weight change
- clothing that fits more tightly or
- loosely than before
- weakness, fatigue, or fever.
name 7 of the 13 questions for the skin ROS
- When did it first appear? Other symptoms that started along with this?
- Any changes over time? Fever?
- Any new areas involved? Any joint pain?
- Ever had anything like this before? Fatigue?
- Does it itch? (pruritis) Burn? Hurt? Numbness?
- Any new medications?
- What makes it better? Worse?
- Tried any new foods?
- Does sun exposure affect it?
- Any changes in skin color or texture? Localized?
- What treatments have you tried?
- Changes in dryness or sweating?
- Anyone else have a similar skin problem?
4 questions for head ROS
- Headache,
- head injury,
- dizziness,
- lightheadedness.
11 ROS questions for eyes
- Vision,
- glasses or contact lenses,
- last examination,
- pain,
- redness,
- excessive tearing,
- double or blurred vision,
- spots,
- specks,
- flashing lights,
- glaucoma, cataracts
7 ROS Questions for ears
- Hearing,
- tinnitus,
- vertigo,
- earaches,
- infection,
- discharge.
- If hearing is decreased, use or nonuse of hearing aids
5 ROS questions for nose ROS
- Frequent colds,
- nasal stuffiness, discharge, itching,
- hay fever,
- nosebleeds,
- sinus trouble
8 questions for mouth ROS
- Condition of teeth and gums,
- bleeding gums,
- dentures, if any, and how they fit,
- last dental examination,
- sore tongue,
- dry mouth,
- frequent sore throats,
- hoarseness
6 questions for neck ROS
- “Swollen glands”
- Goiter
- Lumps
- Pain
- Stiffness in neck
- Reduced motion in the neck
5 questions for breast ROS
- Lumps
- Pain
- Discomfort
- Nipple discharge
- Does the pt. do self-breast exams?
seven questions for respiratory ROS
- Cough
- Sputum (color, quantity)
- Hemoptysis
- Shortness of breath (SOB)/dyspnea
- Wheezing
- Pain with a deep breath pleurisy
- Last CXR
nine questions for cardiovascular ROS
- Heart trouble”
- High blood pressure
- Chest pain or discomfort
- Palpitations
- Shortness of breath
- Need to use pillows at night to ease breathing (orthopnea)
- Need to sit up at night to ease breathing (Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea)
- Swelling in the hands, ankles, or feet (edema)
- Results of past electrocardiograms or other cardiovascular tests
15 questions for the gastrointestinal ROS
- Appetite
- Trouble swallowing
- Heartburn
- Nausea
- Bowel movements (stool color and size, change in bowel habits)
- Pain with defacation
- Rectal bleeding or black or tarry stools
- Hemorrhoids
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal pain
- Food intolerance
- Excessive belching or flatulence
- Jaundice
- Liver or gallbladder trouble
7 questions for the peripheral vascular ROS
- Intermittent leg pain with exertion (claudication)
- Leg cramps
- Varicose veins
- Previous clots in the veins
- Swelling in the calves, legs, or feet
- Color change in the fingertips or toes during cold weather
- Swelling with redness or tenderness
15 questions for the urinary ROS
- Frequency of urination
- Polyuria (large quantities of urine)
- Nocturia
- Urgency
- Burning or pain during urination (dysuria)
- Blood in the urine (hematuria)
- Urinary infections ok to leave in ROS
- Kidney or flank pain
- Kidney stones
- Ureteral colic
- Suprapubic pain
- Incontinence
- Reduced caliber or force of urinary stream (males)
- Hesitancy
- Dribbling
8 questions for the male genital ROS
- Hernias
- Discharge from or sores on the penis
- Testicular pain or masses
- Scrotal pain or swelling
- History of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and their treatments
- Sexual habits, interest, function, satisfaction,
- birth control methods, condom use, problems.
- Concerns about HIV infection
ten questions for the female genital ROS
- Age at menarche
- Regularity
- Frequency
- Duration of periods
- Amount of bleeding
- Bleeding between periods or after intercourse
- Last menstrual period (LMP)
- Dysmenorrhea
- Premenstrual tension
- Age at menopause, menopausal symptoms, postmenopausal bleeding
seven questions for the musculoskeletal ROS
- Muscle or joint pain
- Stiffness
- Arthritis
- Gout
- Backache
- Neck or low back pain
- Joint pain with systemic symptoms
if there are any positives on the musculoskeletal exam, what are eight follow up questions
- Location of affected joints or muscles
- Swelling
- Redness
- Pain
- Tenderness
- Stiffness
- Weakness
- Limitation of motion or activity
nine questions for the psychiatric ROS
- Nervousness
- Tension
- Mood
- Depression
- Behavior change-staying up all night, spending sprees, gambling, sexual promiscuity
- Memory change
- Suicidal ideation
- Suicide plans or attempts
- Past counseling, psychotherapy, or psychiatric admissions
four questions for the hematologic ROS
- Anemia
- Easy bruising or bleeding
- Past transfusions
- Transfusion reactions
6 questions for the endocrine ROS
- Thyroid trouble”
- Heat or cold intolerance
- Excessive sweating
- Excessive thirst or hunger
- Polyuria
- Change in glove or shoe size
why should providers be aware of personal biases during the patient interview
because biases can create tunnel vision that might exclude symptoms outside the providers bias
what is the DSM and what is its purpose
the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders
to codify what the primary indications are for diagnosis of mental disorders
what are the 8 components of the general survery
- apparent state of health
- level of consciousness
- signs of distress
- skin color or obvious lesions
- dress/grooming/hygiene
- facial expression
- breath or body odor
- posture, gait, motor activity
what are three purposes of the physical exam
- to validate findings from the health history
- investigate problems
- screen for diseases
what are the limitations of the physical exam
- detection and measuring errors
- limited sensitivity to distinguish health from disease
what are four advantages to the physical exam
- objective
- sensity to certain signs of disease
- cheap
- laying on hands builds a relationship with patient
what are seven errors common to the physical exam
- technique
- errors of omission
- errors of detection
- errors of interpretation
- errors in documentation
- variability in clinical measurements
- legitimate disagreement
what are the four cardinal techniques of the physical exam and what is the order of these techniques
- inspect
- palpate
- percuss
- auscultate
what is the exception to the general sequence of the physical exam
the abdomen, where you inspect, auscultate, percuss, then palpate the abdomen first shallow then deeply
what is the suggested sequence to proceed through the physical exam
- general survey
- vital signs
- skin and nails
- head
- eyes
- ears
- nose
- mouth
- neck
- lymph nodes
- pulmonary
- breasts
- heart
- abdomen
- GU/rectal
- extremities
- musculoskeletal
- neurological
- psychological
what is normal BMI
18.5 to 24.9
what is a normal BP
120/80
what is a normal pulse
60-100 bpm
what is a normal respiratory rate
20 breaths per minute
what is normal temp
98.6 degrees F
jaundice
a yellowing of the skin, eyes, lips, tongue, and TM caused by excess bilirubin related to liver disease or hemolysis
carotenemia
yellow color on the palms, soles, and face caused by high levels of carotene in the diet
when is carotenemia common
when babies are starting on solid food
where is central cyanosis best seen
lips, oral mucosa, tongue
where can peripheral cyanosis be seen
nails, hands, feet
what should be noted during inspection and palpation of the skin
- color
- temp
- moisture
- texture
- turgor
- mobility
- lesions
what are 6 ways to describe abnormal skin color
- jaundice
- carotenima
- erythema
- cyanosis
- pallor
- absence of pigment
what are three consideration to take into account when assessing skin moisture
- chronic vs acute dryness
- age
- oily skin
how is skin temp assesed
with the back of the hand
what are four reasons to expect increased skin temp
- exercise
- inflammation
- fever/infection
- hyperthyroid
what are three reasons to expect decreased skin temp
- poor circulation
- hypothyroid
- inadequate clothing
when would you expect rough skin? velvety skin?
rough from hypothyroid
smooth from hyperthyroid
what are two conditions that would result in loss of skin mobility
- edema
- scleroderma
what are 11 features to note about skin lesions
- size
- shape
- location
- generalized/localized
- patterned
- single/multiple
- type of lesion
- color of lesion
- painful
- associated warmth
- drainage
what are the ABCDEs of assessing a skin lesion for cancer risk
A) asymmetry
B) borders (irregular)
C) color
D) diameter
E) evolution
T/F a skin lesion that is smaller than 6mm does not fit the criteria for skin cancer
false, it may fit the criteria if it is significantly larger than other skin lesions
what percentage of skin cancer is basal cell carcinoma
80%
where is someone most likely to get skin cancer
on sun exposed areas
describe how a basal cell carcinoma looks
pearly erythmatous translucent papule
T/F basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas rarely metastize
false, squamous cell carcinomas metastize approx 1% of the time
how common are squamous cell carcinomas
16% of all skin cancers are squamous cell carcinomas
a patient presents with a dry, hyperkeratotic lesion on the face, what is a likely diagnosis
squamous cell carcinoma
how common is melanoma
4-5% of all skin cancer is melanoma
T/F melanoma is the least likely type of skin cancer reported in patients ages 25-29
false, it is the most
which of the three skin cancers is potentially most lethal? why
melanoma, because it is more likely to metastize
what is the HARMM acronym and what is it used for
H) hx of previous melanoma
A) age over 50
R) regular dermatologist absent
M) mole changing
M) male
used to delineate risk factors for melanoma
what are three other risk factors associated with melanoma
- red/light hair
- freckles
- severe blistered sunburns as a child
macule/patch
a flat, non-palpable lesion with changes in skin color
what is the difference in size between a macule and a patch
macules are up to 1cm
patches are larger than 1cm
papule (example)
a solid elevated lesion up to 1 cm (warts, moles)
plaque (example)
palpable, elevated lesion greater than 1cm, sometimes formed from plaques
psoriasis
nodule (example)
knot like lesion deeper and firmer than a papule, less than .5cm in size (dermatofibroma)
cyst (example)
nodule filled with expressible material (ganglion, sebaceous)
wheal (example)
somewhat irregular, reletively transient superficial area of localized skin edema (uticarial wheals/hives)
vesicle/bulla (example)
a palpable elevation filled with serous fluid (chicken pox blisters, herpes blisters)
what is the difference in size between a vesicle and a bulla
vesciles are up to 1cm
bulla are 1cm or greater
pustule (example)
a palpable elevation filled with pus (acne, insect bites)
burrow (example)
a small, slightly raised tunnel in the epidermis that looks like a short curved grey line with a small vesicle, papule, or crust (scabies)
where are burrows usually found
finger sides and webs
scale (example)
a thin flake of dead exfoliated epidermis (peeling sunburn)
crust (example)
a dried residue from exudate such as blood, pus, or serum (scab)
lichenification (example)
a visible and palpable thickening of the epidermis and roughening of the skin with increased visability of the normal skin furrows (atopic dermatitis)
what is usually the cause of lichenification
chronic rubbing and scratching
scar
an area with increased connective tissue that arises from injury or disease
keloid
a hypertrophic scar that extends beyond the borders of the original injury
atrophy (example)
an area of deceased skin or muscle growth (pit caused by chronic steroid injections
erosion (example)
nonscarring loss of superficial epidermis (aphthous stomatitis)
ulcer
a deep erosion that may cause a scar
excoriation (example)
linear or punctate erosions caused by scratching (atopic dermatitis)
fissure
a linear crack in the skin, often caused by dryness
induration (example)
hardening or sclerosis of skin (infection, scleroderma)
telangiectasia
chronic dilation of a group of capilaries
milia
superficial inclusion cysts filled with keritinaceous debris
where are milia often found
on the face of newborns
two types of hair
velus and terminal
velus hair
short fine hair found all over
terminal hair
hair the scalp, eyebrows
what are four qualities to note when inspecting the hair
- quantity
- texture
- distribution
- pattern of hair loss
alopecia
hair loss that can be diffuse, patchy, or total
would hair loss be expected in a patient with hyperthyroidism?
no, you would expect fine silky hair with hyperthyroid

A) nail plate
B) nail groove
C) lunula
D) eponychium
what should noted when inspecting and palpating the finger and toe nails
- color
- shapes
- lesions
- infections
paronychia (cause)
superficial infection of the proximal and lateral nail folds adjacent to the nail plate (staph infection)
onychomycosis
fungal infection of the toenails
what is the most common disease of the nails
onychomycosis
clubbing
a bulbous swelling of the soft tissue at the nail base, with loss of the normal angle between the nail and proximal nail fold
what causes clubbing
vasodilation in response to heart, lung, or metastatic malignancies causes increased blood flow to the digits
onycholysis
a painless separation from distal to proximal of the nail plate from the nail bed
what are three common causes of onycholysis
- trauma
- fungal infection
- allergic reations
leukonychia
white spots that grow out with the nail caused by trauma
mee’s lines
curving transverse white bands that cross the nail parallel to the lunula
what are three causes of mees lines
- arsenic poisoning
- heart failure
- hodgkins disease
beaus lines
transverse depressons of the nail plates resulting from disruption of proximal nail growth
what are three causes of beaus lines
- illness
- trauma
- raunauds disease
terrys nails
a condition where the nail plate turns white with a ground glass appearance
what are three conditions associated with terrys nails
- liver disease
- heart failure
- DM

actinic keratosis

atrophy

basal cell carcinoma

beaus lines

bulla
1cm in diameter or greater

bulla

burrow

burrow

carotenema

cherry angioma
less than 1cm in diameter

chickenpox vesicle

clubbing

crust

cyst

cyst

ecchymosis

erosion

erythema

excoriation

herpes zoster

fissure

jaundice

keloid

leukonychia

lichenification
greater than 0.5cm in size, deep and firm on palpation

nodule
greater than 0.5cm in size, deep and firm on palpation

nodule

onycholysis

onychomycosis
solid, elevated, less than 1cm

papule

papule

paronychia
greater than 1cm in size

patch

plaque

pitting
greater than 1cm

plaque
larger than 1cm

bulla

purpura

pustule

pustule

scale

scar

seborrheic dermatitis

seborrheic keratosis

spider angioma

squamous cell carcinoma

squamous cell carcinoma

telangiectasia

terrys nails

ulcer

vescile

vesicle

vitalago

wheal

wheal
what is the differene between assessment and plan
assessment is what you think, plan is what you do
what are some issues to take into consideration when developing a plan?
why?
financial status, patient goals, family structure
some people will not have the financial or social support for lab tests or adherence to medication
three types of clincial reasoning
- pattern recognition
- development of schemas
- application of science
how does pattern recognition play a role in clincial reasoning
through experience practitioners will come to understand disease processes and recongize their progression
two examples of schemas
algorithms
mnemonic
what is the VINDICATE mnemonic stand for
Vascular
Infection/inflammatory/autoimmune
Neoplasm
Drugs
Iatrogenic
Congenital/Development/inherited
Anatomic
Trauma
Environmental Exposure/Endocrine/Metabolic
what is the purpose of the vindicate mnemonic
to brainstorm about what disease processes might be in play
what is one way to narrow down problems when trying to diagnose
think about what structures are anatomically close to symptoms
steps of clinical reasoning
- identify abnormal findings
- localize findings anatomically
- cluster clinical findings
- interpret the findings in terms of a probable disease process
- form a hypothesis
- confirm with tests
- establish a working diagnosis
what are some considerations when clustering clinical findings
- there may be more than one cluster
- older patients have more chronic/systemic disease
- temporal relationship between problems
- localized vs systemic problems
- multisystemic issues
three whys to interpret findings and translate them into a disease process
- Pathologic (diseases of body system or structure)
- Pathophysiologic (problems in biologic function
- psychopathologic
what is especially important when developing a hypothesis
recognition and treatment for potentially lifethreatening situations
T/F the plan is a finality and must take into consideration all aspects of care
false, each problem should have their own plan and will change for each visit
what are five pitfalls of clinical reasoning
- Anchoring
- Search satisficing
- Diagnostic momentum
- psych-out error
- premature closing
anchoring
being stuck on a particular diagnosis despite contrary evidence
search satisficing
choosing the first diagnosis that fits all the symptoms
premature closing
making a snap decision based on limited evidence
diagnostic momentum
when a diagnosis becomes a matter of fact: treat all patients like they have no diagnosis
psych out error
when somatic diagnoses are ignored in favor of psychological ones
what is the problem list? what is it used for?
a running list of all problems
to keep a tab on all a patients problems, treatment, and duration of problem
three attributes of well organized medical records
- clear
- concise
- comprehensive
why is it important to be precise whend documenting findings
- things you don’t record aren;t part of the record and can’t be used in treatment going forward
- you cant record abnormalities you don’t observe
validity
how closely a given observation is to the truth
reliability
how well a measurement can be repeated
sensitivity
a test that provides a reliable positive to people who have the disease
what is a good indication that test is sensitive?
when will a sensitive test be most useful?
a 90% sensitivity
best to rule out diseases because there are few false positives for specific disease
SnNout
when a sensitivity of a symptom or sign is high, a negative response rules out the disease in question
a negative on a sensitive test means what
you can rule out a disease and be confident that the patient doesn;t really have it
specificity
identifies the proportion of people who test negative in a group that don’t have a disease
SpPin
when specificity is high, a positive test rules in the target disorder
predictive value
indication of how well a given symptom, sign, or test predicts the presence or absence of a disease
positive predictive value
the proportion of true positives out of the total population with the disease
negative predictive value
the proportion of true negatives out of the total population without the disease
LR
likelihood ratio, the odds that a finding occurs in a patient with the condition compared to a patient without the condition
what LR value is most useful when trying to rule out a disease? when trying to rule in
to rule in, choose the test with the highest positive LR
to rule out, choose the test with the lowest negative LR
negative LR
the odds that a negative finding will accurately rule out a disease
positive LR
the odds that a positive test will accurately indicate the person has a disease
what test would you choose to rule in an infection? which would you use to rule out?

to rule in, use the test with the highest positive LR, procalcitonin
to rule out, use the test with the lowest negative LR, CRP
what does it mean to say that a test has a high level of certainty
the available evidence comes from well designed studies and the findings are representative of primary care populations
what are the sections of the health history in order including the ROS (24)
- Identifying info
- CC
- HPI
- Medications
- Allergies
- Alcohol/Tobacco/Drugs
- PMI
- Family History
- Social History
- ROS (general)
- Skin
- HEENT
- Neck
- Breasts
- Respiratory
- Cardiovascular
- GI
- Peripheral Vascular
- Urinary
- Genital
- Musculoskeletal
- Pyschiatric
- Neurologic
- Hematologic
what is the order of the physical exam (18)
- General
- MEntal
- Vitals
- Skin
- Hands/Nails
- Head
- Neck
- Eyes
- Nose
- Mouth and throat
- Ears
- Axillary and Epitrochlear nodes
- Chest
- Cardiovascular
- peripheral vascular
- Abdomen
- Musculoskeletal
- Neuro
how will the patient be postioned during the physical exam
- sitting for general, vitals, skin, head, neck, breasts
- lay back for cardiovascular, then roll partly to the left, then sit up and lean forward
- lay flat for the abdomen
- stand if needed as needed for musculoskeletal, neuro, skin
- women lay back for pelvic, men on their left side for prostate
T/F Depression is the leading cause of disability world wide
True
what are five physical symptoms of depression
- Fatigue
- Sleep disturbances
- musculoskeletal pain
- headache
- GI problems
Approx what percent of unexplained symptoms are related to depression
50%
T/F Sleep disturbances happen when a patient wakes up frequently in the night
false, it can mean getting too much sleep as well as too little
when should a mental health screen be performed
there are many possible key factors but the US preventative service task force reccommends one for all patients
what are the five components of a mental health exam
- apperance and behavior
- speech and language
- mood
- thoughts and perceptions
- cognitive function
what four patient qualities should be examined when assessing apperance and behavior
- level of consciousness
- posture and motor behavior
- dress/grooming/hygiene
- manner/affect/relationships
what are five ways to describe level of consciousness
- alert
- lethargic
- obtunded
- stupor
- coma
three indicators a person is alert
- responds to normal tone of voice
- good eye contact
- appropriate responses
three indicators a person is lethargic
- drowsiness
- opens eyes only to look at you
- responds to questions then falls asleep
five indicators that a patient is obtunded
- opens eyes to look at you
- responds slowly
- somewhat confused
- decreased alertness
- might need a shake awake
three indicators a patient is stuporous
- arouses only with painful stimuli
- slow or absent verbal response
- minimal awareness of environment
two indictors of a comatose patient
- unrousable with eyes closed
- no response to painful stimuli
what are four ways to introduce painful stimuli
- trap squeeze
- sternal rub
- pencil on nail bed
- pinch
what are four examples of abnormal posture and motor behavior
- pacing
- abnormal posture
- spastic movement
- complaining of a level of pain that doesn’t match presentation
what are 4 examples of variation in affect
- labile
- blunt
- exaggerated
- pleasant
labile affect
someone who expresses in appropriate or excessive displays of emotion
when assessing manner/affect/relationships what are five factors to examine
- affect
- level of approachability
- appropriate reactions to others
- possible hallucinations
- euphoria
what are five ways to evaluate speech and language in a mental health exam
- quantity
- rate
- volume
- articulation
- fluency
pressured speech
an abnormal speech pattern where the patient continuously talks with no breaks
what are two issues that might present with pressured speech
- mania
- substance abuse
what are three issues that might present with slowed speech
- depression
- stroke
- sedation
T/F slowed speech can involve speaking slowly or the inability to get words out
true
four disorders of speech
- aphasia
- apraxia
- dysarthria
- dysphonia
what is aphasia
a communcation disorder caused by damage to the language centers of the brain
what is the defining characteristic of aphasia
difficulties communicating (speech, writiing, reading) with no decrease intelligence
apraxia
a motor disorder in which the signal conduction from the brain to the mouth is interrupted, causing the person to be unable to move their mouth properly to speak
dysarthria
a motor speech disorder resulting from impaired muscles used in speech
what determines the type and severity of dysarthria
the area of the nervous system that is affected
dysphonia
a voice disorder caused by impairment of the mouth, tongue, throat, or vocal cords resulting in hoarseness
what is the goal of assessing a patients thoughts and persceptions during a mental health exam
the assess the logic, relevance, organization, and coherence of a patients thought process
what are 5 examples of a derranged thought process
- circumstantial
- tangential
- flight of ideas
- incoherent
- echolalia
what are circumstantial thoughts? what disorder might they indicate
speech with pointless, unnecessary detail
OCD
what are tangential thoughts? what disorder might they indicate
shifting between unrelated topics
psychotic
if a patient was described as having a flight of ideas, what kind of thought process would that describe? What might be the cause
non-stop, pressured speech with quickly changing topics
severe schizophrenia
what is echolalia? what might it indicate
repetition of words and phrases of others
mania, schizophrenia, autism
what is a good method to encourage a patient to describe there thought content
follow their lead, ask open ended questions
what are five terms to describe the content of a patients thoughts
- complusions
- delusions
- phobias
- anxiety
- obessions
compulsion
a repetitive response to a stimuli
obession
recurrent, persistant thoughts, feelings, or urges
phobias
persistent, irrational fears
delusions
false, fixed beliefs
three types of delusion
- persecutory
- grandiose
- erotomania
persecutory delusion
the feeling someone is out to get them
grandiose delusions
an inflated sense of importance
erotomania
the delusion that another person is in love with the patient but has not reason to be
what are six types of hallucinations
- auditory
- visual
- olfactory
- gustatory
- tactile
- somatic
what is the most common form of hallucinations
auditory
how might a patient behave tactile hallucinations
an exaggerated reaction to a imagined stimuli (somone touched my head)
somatic hallucinations
believing your body is filled with parasites
what are five ways to examine cognitive function
- orientation
- attention
- remote memory
- recent memory
- new learning ability
what are three ways to test attention
- digital span
- serial 7s
- spelling backwards
how to test remote memory
asking to recall past events
how to test learning ability
give the patient three words to remember, have them repeat the words, then ask them again in 3-5 minutes
what are four ways to test higher cognitive function
- knowledge and vocabulary
- calculating ability
- abstract thinking
- constructional ability
what is one way to test abstract cognitive ability
ask the patient to define a common proverb
what is one way to assess a patients constructional ability
ask them to draw a shape or a clock
what is the most widely used cognitive test for dementia in the US
the mini-mental state exam
what are the six factors tested on the mini-mental state exam
- orientation
- recall
- attention
- calculation
- language
- constuctional praxis
what are two weaknesses of the mini-mental health exam
- not sensitive to severe or mild dementia
- maybe influenced by age, education, language, etc
why should to room be dark for opthalmoscopic exam
because it promotes pupil dilation and visibility of the fundus
G-P-M-L
gravida
parity
miscarriages
living
gravida
the number of pregnancies
parity
number of deliveries
what is the national institute of alcohol abuse and alcoholism definiton of low risk drinking for men, women, and older individuals
- men no more than 4 drinks on a single day or 14 in a week
- women no more than 3 drinks a day or 7 in a week
- over the age of 65 with no medications no more than 3 drinks a day or 7 in a week
why is fatigue a ambiguous diagnosis
because it can be a symptom of a mental disorder (depression, anxiety) but also can be a physical disorder (cancer, infection, diabetes)
when would weakness be associated with myopathy or neuropathy
when it is localized to a specific neuroanatomical pattern
recurrent fever and chills are indicative of what
systemic bacteremia
what is the suspected cause of rapid weight loss over a few days
change in fluid retention, not tissue
what are four possible causes of weight loss with relatively stable diet
- hyperthyroid
- DM
- malabsorption
- bulemia with vomitting
what are three example of pathgnomonic faces
- hyperthyroid bulging staring
- immobile face parkinsons
- flat affect depression
auscultory gap
a lag time where heart beats will be heard, stop briefly, then start again during blood pressure recordings
what is the risk of an ausculatory gap
a very high systolic pressure or a very low diastolic pressure
what condition is ausculatory gap associated with
atherosclerotic disease
what is the benefit of treating isolated systolic hypertension in patients greater than 60 yrs
reduction of morbitity and complications from cardiovascular disease
what happens if a blood pressure cuff is too small? too large?
too small = higher BP
too big = lower BP
what are four ways to monitor patient outcomes
- analgesia
- ADLs
- adverse effects
- abberant drug related behaviors
what are four sources of urticaria with no apparent rash
- dry skin
- pregnancy
- leukemia
- polycythemia vera
what is the difference between a blanching and non-blanching lesion
blanching lesions are erythematous, non-blanching lesions are vascular bright red or violaceous
what are three examples of a non-blanching lesion
- petechiea
- purpura
- cherry angioma
what can local redness of the skin be indicative of in a bed bound patient
nercosis associated with bed sores
what is the size division beween petechia and ecchymosis
petechia is 1-3mm, ecchymosis is larger than 1 cm
annular skin lesion
ring shaped with a central clearing
nummular
circular or coin shaped
pendunuclated
attached to the skin by a narrow stalk
confluent vs coalescing
confluent lessions run together
coalescing are distinct lesions that touch
follicular lesions
involve the hair follice
truncal
favors the trunk
intertriginous
affecting the body folds
what sort of lesion might be described as honey colored
a crust
guttate
looks like it was dropped with an eye dropper
serpiginous
snake like
eschar
a hard darkened plaque usually covering areas of extensive tissue infarcts or gangrene
umbilicated
lesions with a central indentation