Encephalopathy ANS✔✔ Definition: Inability to carry out a coherent plan of thought or
Action.
What mental status exam tests would you do in an
encephalopathic patient? level of alertness, orientation, and attention
What test for encephalopathy? Vital signs and labs; Brain imaging can be normal but EEG shows encephalopathy, EEG
can be useful for testing encephalopathy because [1] can help to differentiate neuro vs. psych; [2]. Rule out subclinical
seizures or "non-convulsive status epilepticus" (encephalopathy mimic)
Mimics of Encephalopathy include: Dementia with Lewy Bodies; REM sleep behavior disorder (act out dreams) and
parasomnias (sleepwalking); Wernicke's aphasia; Psychosis, mania, depression; Nonconvulsive status epilepticus (last
two: differentiate with EEG)
The hallmark of encephalopathy is: Impaired ATTENTION (early finding in delirium, late
, Solution 2024/2025
Pepper
finding in dementia)
Symptoms of encephalopathy include: Hallucinations, delusions, agitation or lethargy; Irritation to light touch; Withdraw
limbs unequally; Asterixis, myoclonus, tremor, sometimes hyperreflexia (acute liver malfunction)/hyporeflexia (thyroid
derangement)
T/F: Encephalopathy is often multifactorial: TRUE
Why does encephalopathy occur? Metabolic homeostasis imbalance
What can global disruption of metabolic homeostasis result in:
Behavior change, poor coordination, ataxia, confusion, seizures, stupor and coma; May be a lag in recovery of CNS
symptoms after the metabolic problem is corrected
Inflammatory- Urinary tract infection in elderly; Infection of the
CNS (encephalitis)
Infectious- meningitis
Traumatic, Toxins,
Autoimmune,
Metabolic- endocrine disorders that cause
encepha
What mental status exam tests would you do in an
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller Schoolflix. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $14.99. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.