5 principles of mental capacity act
Heart failure: management
Pharmacological:
1. ACEi (or ARB)
2. bb
3. Diuretic (furosemide?) weight monitoring
Others
–> aldosterone (spironolactone) if uncontrolled
–> IVABRADINE (of sinus rhythm >70 despite mx BB dose)
Non pharmacological:
–> cardiac resynchronisation therapy device (if QRS prolonged)
–> implantable cardioverter defibrillator: consider if ventricular arrhythmia’s
Clinical features of heart failure
1. Reduce perfusion
Symptoms
–> fatigue
–> exercise tolerance
Signs
–> cyanosis
–> tachypnoea / tachycardia
–> cool extremities
–> oliguria
2. Pulmonary congestion
Symptoms
–> SOB OE
–> orthopnoea
–> white / pink frothy sputum
–> cardiac wheeze
Signs
–> pulmonary oedema (fine bibasal creps)
–> pleural effusion
–> S3 ventricular gallop
Signs
–> raised JVP
–> peripheral oedema (pedal, sacral, scotal)
–> hepatomegaly
–> ascites
PSA test counselling
However can be raised for many reasons:
–> UTI
–> recent vigorous exercise
–> prostate stimulation, recent ejaculation
–> enlarged prostate
Possible advantages
1. may help pick up prostate cancer before symptoms
2. may help pick up fast growing cancer, when treatment could stop it spreading
Possible disadvantage
1. PSA raised for many things!
2. some patients with low PSA may be found to have prostate cancer later on
3. if PSA level rasied may need biopsy: pain, infection, bleeding
Higher risk of prostate cancer
1. over 50
2. close relative affected (brother or father)
3. black origin
Refrain from sex 2 days before.
Can’t have had biopsy 6 weeks before test.
Further test MRI
Anorexia nervosa: key questions to ask
SCOFF
ANOREXIA NERVOSA : mx
Assessment
1. BMI <13 or 1kg weight loss weekly
Investigation
1. FBC
2. LFT
3. U&Es
4. CRP
5. glucose
6. phosphate
7. magnesium
8. ECG ? (brady, increased QTC, hypokalaemic changes)
ADULTS
1. Eating disorder focused CBT
2. MANTRA (maudsley anorexia nervosa treatment for adults)
3. SSCM (specialist supportive clinical management)
Children
1. Eating disorder focused family therapy
Prescribing in palliative care: managing symptoms
1. Pain / Breathlessness
–> Morphne (1/6 total opioid dose subcut)
2. Nausea
–> cyclizine, leveopromazine, haloperidol
3. Agitation
–> midazolam
4. Respiratory secretions
–> glycopyronium or hyoscince hydrobromide
5. Delerium
–> Haloperidol
Male testicular exam
Inspection:
1. skin: erythema, rashes, excoriations, scars, ulcers
2. testes: asymmetry, swelling, oedema , obvious masses
3. foreskin: phimosis, adhesions and glans abnormalities
Palpation
1. comment on:
–> testes
–> epididymis
–> spermatic cord
–> inguinal lymphadenopathy
–> reflexes (prehn’s, cremasteric)
Differentials:
* hydrocele
* varicoele
* epididymal cyst
* testicular tumour
* inguinal scrotal hernia (cannot get above it)
* epididymitis
* testicular torion
* orchitis
Prehn’s : if testicular pain is relieved by elevating testes: epididymitis, if not then think torsion
Cremasteric: stroke inside of leg and watch scrotal skin tighten (absent in torsion)
Shoulder exam: common shoulder pathology
1. Supraspinatuous tendonitis (impingement syndrome)
–> painful arc , tx: physio, analgesia, corticosteroid , arthroscopic acromoplasty
2. Rotator cuff tears
–> supraspinatus wasting
3. Adhesive capsulitis
–> stiffness, loss of active and passive movement. tx: NSAIDs, physio
4. Anterior shoulder dislocation
5. Osteoarthritis
Epilepsy: management
Consider other cause of seizures:
–> metabolic (hyponatraemia, hypoglycaemia)
–> CNS infection (encephalitis , meningitis) alcohol withdrawal
–> environmental
https://geekymedics.com/explaining-a-diagnosis-of-epilepsy/
Breast exam
TRIPLE ASSESSMENT
1. Clinical hx and exam by breast surgeon
2. radiological imaging
3. core biopsy and fine needle aspiration
Imaging : USS if under 40 (denser breast tissue)
Mammogram: over 40, two views,
Endocrine therapy
Endocrine medications essentially aim to reduce oestrogen activity to reduce tumour growth:
Tamoxifen: used in premenopausal women with ER+ cancer, works by blocking oestrogen receptors
Aromatase inhibitors (Letrozole, Anastrozole, Exemestane): only used in postmenopausal women with ER+ cancer. They work by blocking the enzyme aromatase which converts androgens into oestrogen.
Biologics
For cancers that express HER2, a drug called trastuzumab (also called Herceptin) is used, which is a monoclonal antibody that targets HER2.
opthalmoscopy : review eye differential diagnoses
HYPONATRAEMIA
Severe: < 120
Causes:
Hypovolaemic (dehydrated)
–> transdermal, GI loss
Hypervolaemic (‘overloaded’)
–> third spacing
Euvolaemic
Causes of Hypervolaemic hyponatraemia
Euvolaemic hyponatraemia: causes
SIADH
check urine osmolality
If decreased –> primary polydipsia (water intoxication)
If raised urine osmolality in presence of low serum osmolality –> SIADH
Clinical features of hyponatraemia
Mild to moderate symptoms of hyponatraemia include:4
HALCANS
Anorexia
Headache
Nausea/vomiting
Lethargy
Confusion
Ataxia
Severe symptoms of hyponatraemia include:
Seizures
Cerebral obtundation / coma
Management of Hyponatraemia
The general goal of treatment is to correct by no more than 6mmol/L in the first 6 hours and no more than 10mmol/L in the first 24 hours.1
Hypovolaemic hyponatraemia
Rehydration with intravenous 0.9% normal saline, with regular monitoring of serum sodium.
Hypervolaemic hyponatraemia
Fluid restriction (<1.5L/24h), with regular monitoring of serum sodium.
Euvolaemic hyponatraemia
Fluid restriction (1.5L/24h), with regular monitoring of serum sodium. Oral salt tablets may be required if fluid restriction alone is ineffective.
Complications of hyponatramia
Ventricular fibrillation management
SHOCKABLE
CPR 2 mins
Adrenaline every 3-5 mins
Amiodarone after 3 shocks
Identify and treat reversible causes
Neutropenic sepsis
Assessment
Management
Head CT interpreation powerpoint
Emergency contraception counselling
STEMI treatment
Airway management
https://geekymedics.com/airway-equipment-explained/