General Med Flashcards
(162 cards)
CURB-65 score and consequent Rx?
Confusion
Urea >7
RR >30
BP
Common causes of hypercalcaemia?
Name 4
+ 2 drugs that uncommonly cause it?
Primary parathyroidism
PTH-like peptide malignancy
Multiple myeloma (osteolytic lesions on xray)
Secondary malignancy/ leukaemia
Thiazides + Lithium
In osteoporotic individuals what must be checked before commencing treatment?
Make sure vit D and calcium are up to normal levels otherwise medication can deplete it causing profound hypocalcaemia
Patient is given Zoledronic acid (IV bisphosphonate, given once a year), what must be checked afterwards?
U+Es - causes profound hypocalcaemia
Kneeling in wet cement can give rise to what sign on the knees?
‘Pizza knee’- very toxic
Most important initial test to do if suspecting giant cell arteritis?
Rx?
ESR
Prednisolone 60mg OD
60 year old lady presents with 2 weeks of morning stiffness and tenderness bilaterally in her shoulders and thighs. She has some aching of the joints, fatigue and anorexia as well.
Creatinine kinase is normal (why is this important) and CRP is raised.
Diagnosis and differential?
Polymyalgia rheumatica
Drug causes of high potassium?
PAACH
potassium sparing diuretics (amiloride, spironolactone)
ACE inhibitors (reduces aldosterone)
angiotensin 2 receptor blockers (reduces aldosterone)
ciclosporin
heparin
Aldosterone upregulates Na/K exchanger and epithelial Na channels for uptake, so if renin decreases it will too.
Drug causes of hyponatraemia?
C- PIST?
Via increased ADH- little PISTING
Carbamazepine anti-Psychotics (haloperidol) nsaIds SSRI Thiazide diuretics
What are the sepsis six?
Three out:
Urine output- hourly
Blood cultures
ABG- Lactate + Hb
Three in:
High flow O2
Antibiotics
Fluids
Drugs to avoid in renal failure
Accumulate: D-FOAMS
Digoxin, furosemide, opioids, atenolol, methotrexate, sulphonylureas
Avoid: cycle trofar said the lithe met (police)
tetracycline, nitrofurantoin, nsaids, metformin, lithium
Which drugs increase in concentration in liver disease due to reduced albumin?
Less albumin, less protein to bind the drug
Higher levels: phenytoin + prednisolone
In hepatic failure, which drugs worsen hepatic encephalopathy? (Da sock)
Diuretics Analgesics Sedatives Opioids Constipators K+ low
Which drugs worsen fluid retention for those with ascites and oedema in chronic liver disease?
NSAIDs
Corticosteroids
Which drugs increase in concentration in liver disease due to reduced albumin?
Less albumin, less protein to bind the drug
Higher levels: phenytoin + prednisolone
In hepatic failure, which drugs worsen hepatic encephalopathy? (Da sock)
Diuretics Analgesics Sedatives Opioids Constipators K+ low
Which drugs worsen fluid retention for those with ascites and oedema in chronic liver disease?
NSAIDs
Corticosteroids
If someone has hypertension, how do you work out what drop in blood pressure indicates sepsis?
Baseline - 40mmHg
What’s the difference between SIRS (systemic inflammatory response syndrome) and sepsis?
SIRS can occur from non-infectious causes: burns or pancreatitis etc
Sepsis is SIRS because of infection
What pupil changes occur in patients who have suffered a brain-stem stroke?
Pin-point pupils
How does achalasia and oesophageal cancer present differently?
Achalasia- difficulty swallowing liquids and solids together
Carcinoma- difficulty with solids then liquids + weight loss
Achalasia- lack of inhibitory ganglion cells needed for a relaxed sphincter
Name for deep breathing in metabolic acidosis?
Kussmaul’s sign
Occurs in DKA or aspirin overdose
Black sputum is called what?
What is it caused by?
Melanoptysis
As silica dust is deposited (ie in coal-workers), immune reaction = granulomas accumulate to make a fibrotic lesion, in the centre necrotic areas form that may lead to coughing up of black tissue.
What defines progressive massive fibrosis?
The presence of fibrotic nodules greater than 1cm in size.