Stroke
This stroke scale is commonly used to quantify deficits and track changes over time.
What is the NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS)?
The first priority in suspected cervical spine injury is maintaining this.
What is cervical spine immobilization / spinal precautions?
A seizure lasting >5 minutes (or recurrent without recovery) is treated as this emergency.
What is status epilepticus?
Sudden painless loss of vision described as a “curtain coming down” suggests this.
What is retinal detachment?
Fever + stiff neck + photophobia strongly suggests this diagnosis.
What is meningitis?
This BP principle guides thrombolysis candidates: BP must be below this threshold before tPA
What is BP < 185/110 mmHg before thrombolysis?
After head injury, this pattern (widening pulse pressure, bradycardia, irregular respirations) signals rising ICP
What is Cushing’s triad?
First-line med to stop an actively convulsing patient (acute abortive therapy).
What is lorazepam (or diazepam/midazolam) IV/IM?
Sudden vertigo + unilateral facial weakness may indicate this emergent CNS cause.
What is a stroke (posterior circulation) / brainstem event? (Accept: What is a CVA?)
New, progressively worsening morning headaches + vomiting + papilledema suggests this.
What is increased intracranial pressure from a brain tumor (mass effect)?
“Worst headache of life” with nuchal rigidity is classic for this hemorrhage.
What is subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH)?
The earliest sign of increasing ICP is often a change in this.
What is level of consciousness/mental status?
After a generalized tonic-clonic seizure, this expected state may last minutes to hours.
What is the postictal state?
Painful red eye + halos around lights + nausea points to this emergency.
What is acute angle-closure glaucoma?
Immunocompromised patient with focal neuro deficits and ring-enhancing brain lesions—think this organism/condition.
What is toxoplasmosis (especially with HIV/AIDS) causing ring-enhancing lesions?
In ischemic stroke (no tPA), permissive hypertension is allowed unless BP exceeds this (common guideline).
What is BP > 220/120 mmHg (treat if above; common permissive HTN cutoff when no thrombolysis)?
Unilateral blown pupil after trauma suggests compression of this cranial nerve.
What is Cranial Nerve III (oculomotor) compression?
In status epilepticus, after benzodiazepine, this med is commonly used for ongoing seizure control (one example).
What is levetiracetam (or fosphenytoin/valproate) as second-line?
Painless central vision loss in an older adult, often with “drusen,” is this condition.
What is age-related macular degeneration?
A patient with tremor at rest, rigidity, and shuffling gait has this disease.
What is Parkinson’s disease?
Suspected ischemic stroke: the imaging test done first to rule out bleed is this.
What is a non-contrast CT head?
Brief loss of consciousness after head injury followed by lucidity then rapid decline suggests this bleed.
What is an epidural hematoma?
For a patient on phenytoin with nystagmus, ataxia, and slurred speech—suspect this.
What is phenytoin toxicity?
Unilateral “whooshing” hearing loss + imbalance + facial numbness can indicate this tumor.
What is an acoustic neuroma (vestibular schwannoma)?
Rapidly progressive dementia with myoclonus is concerning for this fatal prion disease.
What is Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (CJD)?