Neurology Flashcards

Flashcards about Neurology System

Mental Status

The total expression of a person's emotional responses, mood, cognitive functioning, and personality.

Mental status

Assessed continuously throughout the entire interaction with a patient by evaluating the patient's alertness, orientation, cognitive abilities, and mood.

Grooming

May indicate depression; note poor hygiene in a previously well-groomed individual

Mood and Feelings

Ask the patient, "Over the past two weeks, have you felt down, depressed, or hopeless?" and "Over the past 2 weeks, have you felt little interest or pleasure in doing things?"

Patient consciousness

Patient should be oriented to person, place, and time and should make appropriate responses.

Memory

Evaluate immediate memory by reading the patient a list of five words and then asking them to repeat the same words. Evaluate delayed recall by asking the patient to repeat the same 5 words from the immediate memory test a few minutes later.

Voice Quality

The patient's voice should have inflections, be clear and strong, and be able to increase in volume.

Pre Hospital Skull Fractures and Brain Injuries Assessment

Evaluate the patient's Airway, Breathing, and Circulation

Pre Hospital Skull Fractures and Brain Injuries Assessment

Assess AVPU

Signs and symptoms of skull fractures and brain injuries

Visible bone fragments and perhaps bits of brain tissues

Signs and symptoms of skull fractures and brain injuries

Altered mental status

Signs and symptoms of skull fractures and brain injuries

Deep laceration or severe bruise or hematoma to the scalp or forehead

Signs and symptoms of skull fractures and brain injuries

Depressions or deformity of the skull, large swellings, or anything unusual about the shape of the cranium

Signs and symptoms of skull fractures and brain injuries

Severe pain at the site of head injury

Signs and symptoms of skull fractures and brain injuries

"Battle's sign" (late sign) may be present

Signs and symptoms of skull fractures and brain injuries

Pupils unequal or nonreactive to light

Signs and symptoms of skull fractures and brain injuries

"Raccoon eyes," black eyes, or discoloration of the soft tissues under both eyes (late sign)

Signs and symptoms of skull fractures and brain injuries

Clear fluid flowing from ears and/or nose, indicative of CSF

Signs and symptoms of skull fractures and brain injuries

Personality change, ranging from irritable to irrational behavior (major sign)

Signs and symptoms of skull fractures and brain injuries

Increased blood pressure and decreased pulse rate (Cushing's reflex)

Signs and symptoms of skull fractures and brain injuries

Irregular breathing patterns

Signs and symptoms of skull fractures and brain injuries

Blurred or multiple-image vision in one or both eyes

Signs and symptoms of skull fractures and brain injuries

Impaired hearing or ringing in the ears

Signs and symptoms of skull fractures and brain injuries

Equilibrium problems

Signs and symptoms of skull fractures and brain injuries

Forceful or projectile vomiting

Signs and symptoms of skull fractures and brain injuries

Decorticate or decerebrate posturing

Signs and symptoms of skull fractures and brain injuries

Paralysis or disability on one side of the body

Signs and symptoms of skull fractures and brain injuries

Seizures

Signs and symptoms of skull fractures and brain injuries

Deteriorating vital signs

Treatment for Head injuries

Take appropriate Standard Precautions.

Treatment for Head injuries

Consider the possibility of a spine injury. If indicated, provide manual stabilization of the head.

Treatment for Head injuries

Open and maintain the airway.

Treatment for Head injuries

Monitor the unconscious patient for changes in breathing. avoid hyperventilation

Treatment for Head injuries

Talk to the conscious patient, providing emotional support.

Military Acute Concussion Evaluation 2 (MACE 2)

A screening tool for assessing concussion in the deployed setting. This assessment takes approximately 10 minutes to administer by a skilled medic/corpsman or a provider

Concussion Pathophysiology

A blow causes acceleration-deceleration and rotational forces that may stretch, compress, or shear nerve fibers as the brain moves within the skull, and disrupts the brain chemicals responsible for brain functioning; often caused by sports injuries.

Seizures Pathophysiology

The brain's electrical activity can become irregular; irregularities can bring about a sudden change in sensation, behavior, or movement.

Meningitis Pathophysiology

Bacterial, viral, or fungal organism colonizes in the upper respiratory tract, invades the bloodstream, and then crosses the blood-brain barrier to infect the cerebrospinal fluid and meninges.

Ischemic strokes

Occur when a thrombus or embolism interrupts the blood supply, oxygen, and nutrients to the brain, and brain cells die.

Bell's Palsy Pathophysiology

May be caused by an acute inflammation of the facial nerve (cranial nerve VII), such as a viral infection with herpes simplex, which leads to ischemia and demyelination.

Unstable Patient Recognition

Aggressive or disruptive behavior may be caused by trauma to the brain and nervous system, metabolic disorders, stress, alcohol, other drugs, or psychological disorders.

Reasonable force

Force necessary to keep a patient from himself or others.