Wernicke's encephalopathy Flashcards
1
Q
What vitamin deficiency is responsible for Wernicke’s
A
Vitamin B (thiamine)
2
Q
Causes of thiamine deficiency in Wernickes
A
Most common alcoholic
Rarer causes:
- vomiting
- gastric cancer
- dietary deficiency
3
Q
Classic triad of symptoms
A
ophthalmoplegia/nystagmus
ataxia
encephalopathy
4
Q
INvestigations
A
decreased red cell transketolase
MRI
5
Q
Treatment
A
Urgent thiamine replacement
- e.g. IV with pabrinex or orally with thiamine
6
Q
If untreated, what other syndrome can develop?
A
Korsakoff’s syndrome
=> Wernicke-Korsakoff
7
Q
How can you identify if Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome has developed?
A
Symptoms of wernicke’s with addition of antero- and retrograde amnesia and confabulation
8
Q
A
