CAQ-Psychiatry flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Delirium core features

Acute onset with fluctuating attention and awareness, often due to a medical condition, medication, or withdrawal; management targets the cause, with antipsychotics reserved for distressing agitation.

Major depressive episode criteria

At least five of nine symptoms for two weeks or more, including depressed mood or anhedonia, causing impairment and not explained by mania, psychosis, or a substance or medical condition.

Bipolar I versus II

Bipolar I requires at least one manic episode lasting a week or leading to hospitalization; bipolar II requires hypomania of at least four days plus major depression, with no mania.

Serotonin syndrome

A toxidrome of altered mental status, autonomic hyperactivity, and neuromuscular excitation such as clonus and hyperreflexia, caused by serotonergic drugs; treatment is stopping the agents and supportive care.

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome

A life-threatening reaction to dopamine antagonists marked by rigidity, hyperthermia, autonomic instability, and elevated creatine kinase; management is stopping the drug and supportive care with dantrolene or bromocriptine.

Panic attack definition

An abrupt surge of intense fear reaching a peak within minutes, with at least four of thirteen physical or cognitive symptoms such as palpitations, dyspnea, derealization, or fear of dying.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder

Presence of obsessions, compulsions, or both that are time-consuming or cause clinically significant distress or impairment; first-line treatment is an SSRI combined with exposure and response prevention.

Post-traumatic stress disorder

Following trauma exposure, intrusion, avoidance, negative alterations in cognition and mood, and hyperarousal persist beyond one month and cause impairment; trauma-focused psychotherapy is first-line.

Schizophrenia diagnostic threshold

At least two core symptoms, with one from delusions, hallucinations, or disorganized speech, plus functional decline, continuous signs for six months, and exclusion of mood or substance causes.

Alcohol withdrawal timeline

Tremor and hallucinosis typically begin within six to forty-eight hours of cessation, while withdrawal delirium and seizures peak later; benzodiazepines are the first-line treatment.

Opioid use disorder treatment

Buprenorphine or methadone maintenance is first-line and reduces mortality and illicit use; naloxone reverses acute overdose but is not a maintenance treatment for the disorder.

Decision-making capacity elements

Capacity requires the ability to understand relevant information, appreciate its significance, reason about options, and communicate a choice; it is decision-specific rather than global.

Strongest suicide risk predictor

A prior suicide attempt is the strongest single predictor of future completed suicide; asking patients directly about suicidal ideation does not increase their risk.

Lithium level monitoring

Levels are drawn about twelve hours after the last dose, roughly five days after initiation or dose change; toxicity causes tremor, ataxia, vomiting, and confusion and is worsened by dehydration.

Antipsychotic metabolic monitoring

Measure weight, BMI, waist circumference, blood pressure, fasting glucose or HbA1c, and lipids at baseline, at twelve weeks, and periodically thereafter, because atypical antipsychotics cause metabolic syndrome.

Autism spectrum disorder criteria

Persistent deficits in social communication and interaction plus restricted, repetitive behaviors or interests, present in early development and causing clinically significant impairment in functioning.

Mental status examination domains

A structured assessment covering appearance, behavior, speech, mood, affect, thought process and content, perception, cognition, insight, and judgment, used to characterize psychiatric presentations.

MoCA versus MMSE

The Montreal Cognitive Assessment is more sensitive to mild cognitive impairment than the Mini-Mental State Examination; both are affected by education, language, and sensory deficits.

Somatic symptom disorder

Distressing somatic symptoms accompanied by excessive thoughts, feelings, or behaviors about them, such as disproportionate worry or repeated care-seeking, whether or not a medical cause is found.

Illness anxiety disorder

Preoccupation with having or acquiring a serious illness, with minimal or absent somatic symptoms, persisting despite reassurance and causing significant distress or functional impairment.

ADHD diagnostic requirements

Several inattentive or hyperactive-impulsive symptoms before age twelve, present in at least two settings, causing impairment; stimulants are first-line with monitoring of growth, blood pressure, and sleep.

Anorexia nervosa and refeeding

Low body weight with intense fear of weight gain and body image disturbance; medical stabilization precedes psychotherapy, and refeeding risks hypophosphatemia requiring electrolyte monitoring.

Alcohol use disorder medications

Naltrexone reduces heavy drinking, acamprosate supports abstinence, and disulfiram works only in supervised, motivated patients; all are most effective combined with psychosocial treatment.

Electroconvulsive therapy indications

Indicated for severe or psychotic major depression, catatonia, and treatment-resistant illness; memory side effects are usually transient, and informed consent is required.

First-line depression pharmacotherapy

SSRIs, SNRIs, mirtazapine, or bupropion are first-line for unipolar depression; response is assessed after four to six weeks at an adequate dose before switching agents.

Hypomania duration criterion

A distinct period of elevated or irritable mood and increased energy lasting at least four consecutive days, with change observable by others but without marked impairment or psychosis.

Mania duration criterion

Elevated or irritable mood with increased energy lasting at least one week, or any duration if hospitalization is required, causing marked impairment, psychosis, or need for hospitalization.

Panic disorder criterion

Recurrent unexpected panic attacks followed by at least one month of persistent worry about further attacks or their consequences, or maladaptive behavioral change related to the attacks.

Tardive dyskinesia management

Involuntary choreoathetoid movements after prolonged dopamine antagonist exposure; VMAT2 inhibitors such as valbenazine or deutetrabenazine are approved treatments, and prevention limits long-term antipsychotic use.

Catatonia recognition and treatment

A syndrome of stupor, mutism, negativism, posturing, or waxy flexibility; benzodiazepines are first-line, and electroconvulsive therapy is used for malignant or refractory cases.

Clozapine indications and monitoring

Reserved for treatment-resistant schizophrenia or suicide risk; requires regular absolute neutrophil counts because of agranulocytosis risk, plus monitoring for myocarditis and seizures.

Dementia versus delirium

Dementia is chronic, progressive cognitive decline with preserved consciousness, while delirium is acute and fluctuating with impaired attention; the two frequently coexist in older hospitalized patients.