-Forgets names; misplaces household items
-Has short-term memory loss and difficulty recalling new information
Alzheimer's Mild Stage
-Shows subtle changes in personality and behavior
-Is disoriented to time, place, and event
-Has difficulty driving and gets lost
-Incontinent
Alzheimer's Moderate Stage
-Psychotic behaviors, such as delusions, hallucinations, and paranoia
-Episodes of wandering, trouble sleeping
-Totally incapacitated; bedridden
-Totally dependent in ADLs
-Has agnosia
Alzheimer's Late Stage -Hallucinations
-Incontinence
-Difficulty eating
Apraxia Difficulty with motor planning to perform tasks or movements
Aphasia Inability to speak or understand language
Anomia Inability to recall the names of everyday objects
Agnosia Loss of sensory comprehension, including facial recognition
-No laboratory test can confirm the diagnosis of AD
-Definitive diagnosis is made on the basis of brain tissue examination at autopsy,
Alzheimer's diagnostics
which confirms the presence of neurofibrillary tangles and neuritic plaques
Cholinesterase inhibitors- Donepezil, galantamine
Alzheimer's medications
NMDA receptor antagonists- Memantine
-Slow, shuffling, and propulsive gait
-RESTING tremors
-Muscle rigidity
-Bradykinesia/akinesia (loss of ability to move muscles voluntarily)
Parkinson's symptoms
-Mask Like face
-Drooling
-Postural instability
-Diagnosis typically made based on manifestations, their progression, and by ruling
out other disease
Parkinson's diagnostics
-Analysis of CSF may show a decrease in dopamine levels
Parkinson's medications Carbidopa/Levodopa (Sinemet)
Parkinson's surgical interventions Stereotactic pallidotomy or thalamotomy
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, -Caffeine
-Red wine
Migraine triggers -MSG
-Foods high in tyramine (aged cheeses, cultured food like yogurt)
Migraine abortive therapy Acetaminophen, ibuprofen, naproxen, triptans, ergotamine derivatives
Migraine preventative therapy Beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, antiepileptics, Botox
Migraine surgical treatment Trigeminal nerve resection
-Visual disturbances
-Flashing lights/lines/spots
-Numbness of lips or tongue
-Acute confused state
-Aphasia
Aura symptoms
-Vertigo
-Unilateral weakness*
-Offensive smell
-"Deja vu" feeling
-Muscle weakness and spasticity
-Intention tremors (tremor when performing an activity)
-Diplopia (double vision)
Multiple sclerosis clinical manifestations -Nystagmus (an involuntary condition in which the eyes make repetitive uncontrolled
movements)
-Depression/labile
MRI of the brain and spinal cord demonstrates the presence of plaques in at least 2
Multiple sclerosis diagnosis areas
-Baclofen
-Disease-modifying therapies
Multiple sclerosis medications -Interferon beta-1a and beta-1b
-Corticosteroids
-Nuchal rigidity
-Kernig Sign
-Brudzinski Sign
Meningitis clinical manifestations
-Decreased level of consciousness
-Photosensitivity
Resistance and pain with extension of the client's leg from a
flexed position
Kernig Sign
Flexion of the knees and hips occurring with deliberate flexion of
the client's neck
Brudzinski Sign
Lumbar puncture
Meningitis diagnostics
Appearance of CSF: cloudy (bacterial) or clear (viral)
Prevention of meningitis Meningococcal vaccine
-Private room
-Stay at least 3 feet away from the patient unless wearing a mask
Droplet precautions -Patients who are transported outside the room should wear a mask
-Health care personnel should wear gloves, gown, and mask
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