Week 2 SBL Learning Issues Flashcards
What are some common triggers for seizures?
- Specific time of day/night
- Stress
- Flashing lights
- Sleep deprivation
- Alcohol
- Menstrual cycle
(Basically: a nightclub full of ovulating women)
What are some factors (not triggers) that can affect seizure threshold?
- Brain tumour
- Age
- Neurodegenerative diseases
What are seizure auras?
A sense that one is about to have a seizure:
- Swirling colours
- Rising nausea
- Sense of impending doom
Using a mnemonic, recall headache red flags
SNOOPP
S: Systemic symptoms and signs (fever, weight loss, myalgia)
N: Nauseau
O: Sudden onset
O: Older
P: Progressive (worse than past)
P: Postural, papilloedema, precipitators (ICP)
What is the role of the reticular formation in consciousness?
- Projects into thalamus and cerebral cortex
- Controls which stimuli reach conscious awareness
What are the three symptoms in the Cushing Reflex?
- Irregular respiratory rate
- Decreased HR
- Increased BP
Explain the mechanism of cushing’s reflex
Trigger: Raised ICP
1. Cerebral iscahemia from decreased CPP causes sympathetic increase in BP + HR
2. Parasympathetic nervous system counteracts HR increase, causing bradycardia
3. Raised ICP compresses respiratory centre, causing irregular RR
What type of seizures cause incontinence?
Atonic
T1 vs T2 MRI
T1: Enhances fatty tissue, decreases water
T2: Enhances water
How is Glioblastoma diagnosed?
- Neurological exam
- CT/MRI (MRI is preferrable)
What are the mainstays of glioblastoma treatment?
- Surgery
- Radiation
- Chemotherapy
Who is on a multidisciplinary glioblastoma team?
- Pathologist
- Oncologist
- Psychologist
- Oncology nurses
- Palliative care specialists
- Neurologist
Use a pnemonic to explain how to deliver bad news
SPIKES
Setting: make sure it’s appropriate
Perspective: What do they know?
Invitation: How much do they want to know?
Knowledge: Tell them that
E: Empathy
S: Strategy -> explain what we’re going to do about it
