Paroxetine; complicated question since both hydrochlorothiazide and lisinopril can also produce falls in the elderly, but they would generally be accompanied by dizziness.

An 88-year-old man comes for consultation because he has fallen 3 times in the last 6 months. None of the falls was accompanied by dizziness or syncope. One fall occurred while he was walking in the garden. His medical history includes hypertension without postural changes in blood pressure, gout, osteoarthritis, and depression. She takes 5 medications regularly. Which of the following is most likely to contribute to falls in this patient?

Prevalence and persistency of orthostatic blood pressure fall in older patients with isolated systolic hypertension. Syst-Eur Investigators.

Postural hypotension in older people has been the subject of many studies, but there remains some doubt as to its true prevalence. This study investigated the prevalence and persistency of an exaggerated orthostatic blood pressure (BP) fall in a large group of older patients with isolated systolic hypertension. A total of 2716 patients, 917 men and 1799 women, whose age ranged from 60-100 years, were examined at three separate outpatient visits on a placebo in the single-blind run-in phase of the Syst-Eur Trial. The supine and standing BPs at each visit were the averages of two readings. An exaggerated BP fall was defined as a drop in systolic pressure by at least 20 mm Hg 2 min after assuming the standing from the supine position, or as a drop in the diastolic pressure by at least 10 mm Hg. The reproducibility of orthostatic BP changes was evaluated by the Bland and Altman technique. With the three run-in visits combined, the sitting pressure averaged ( +/- standard deviation) 174 +/- 11 mm Hg systolic and 86 +/- 6 mm Hg diastolic. Systolic pressure fell on average by 5 +/- 12 mm Hg from the supine to the standing position, whereas diastolic pressure increased by 2 +/- 7 mm Hg. The percentage of patients showing an exaggerated orthostatic BP fall was constant at each of the three run-in visits, ie 11-12% for systolic pressure and 4% for diastolic pressure. An exaggerated BP fall at each of the three run-in visits was only present in 3% of the patients for systolic pressure and in 0.4% for diastolic pressure. An exaggerated BP fall at the run-in visits was not associated with dizziness and syncope, which occurred in only 1% of the patients. The orthostatic fall in systolic, but not diastolic pressure, was greater (0.6 mm Hg; P < 0.05) at the second than at the first visit. The repeatability coefficients tended to be higher (60-65%), signifying lower reproducibility, than those for the BP levels (45-55%). An exaggerated fall in systolic or diastolic pressure may occasionally occur in nearly 10% of older patients with isolated systolic hypertension even without antihypertensive drug therapy, but a persistent orthostatic response in only rarely observed.

First-dose phenomenon

The first-dose phenomenon is a sudden and severe fall in blood pressure that can occur when changing from a lying to a standing position the first time that an alpha blocker drug is used or when resuming the drug after many months off. This postural hypotension usually happens shortly after the first dose is absorbed into the blood and can result in syncope (fainting). Syncope occurs in approximately 1% of patients given an initial dose of 2 mg prazosin or greater. This adverse effect is self-limiting and in most cases does not recur after the initial period of therapy or during subsequent dose titration. The alpha blocker prazosin (Minipress) is most notorious for producing a first dose phenomenon. Other drugs of the same family, doxazosin (Cardura) and terazosin (Hytrin), can also cause this phenomenon, though less frequently.

Hypotension and bradycardia associated with concomitant tizanidine and lisinopril therapy.

A case of severe bradycardia and hypotension associated with concomitant tizanidine and lisinopril therapy is reported. An 85-year-old man with a chief complaint of profound weakness was admitted to the hospital with a blood pressure reading of 60/32 mm Hg and a heart rate of 37 beats/min. His medical history included type 2 diabetes mellitus, congestive heart failure, gastroesophageal reflux disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, osteoarthritis, restless leg syndrome, benign prostatic hyperplasia, generalized anxiety disorder with depression, and severe chronic back pain for which he was receiving treatment at a pain clinic. Two days before hospital admission, he had been seen at the pain clinic and started on ti-zanidine. Additional medications included acetaminophen, chlorpromazine, citalopram, finasteride, lidocaine patch, lisinopril, metformin, pramipexole, omeprazole, simvastatin, theophylline, diclofenac topical gel, hydrocodone-acetaminophen, and ondansetron. After taking three doses of the newly prescribed tizanidine, he developed severe hypotension and bradycardia. Notable laboratory test values included a serum creatinine concentration of 1.90 mg/dL, a blood urea nitrogen concentration of 21 mg/dL, a serum potassium concentration of 5.5 meq/L, and a serum sodium concentration of 128 meq/L. Upon admission, tizanidine, lisinopril, theophylline, omeprazole, and simvastatin were withheld, and i.v. fluids were administered. The patient's vital signs began to gradually improve. Within 24 hours, the patient's blood pressure and heart rate had improved, as had the previously abnormal laboratory test values. Tizanidine was discontinued, and all of his other preadmission medications were restarted at discharge. The addition of tizanidine in a patient receiving long-term treatment with lisinopril was associated with severe hypotension and bradycardia.

InternalMed_Harrison

A 76-year-old woman presented with a several-month history of diarrhea, with marked worsening over the 2–3 weeks before admission (up to 12 stools a day). Review of systems was negative for fever, orthostatic dizziness, nausea and vomiting, or headache. Past medical history included hypertension, kidney stones, and hypercholesterolemia; medications included atenolol, spironolactone, and lovastatin. She also reliably consumed >2 L of liquid per day in management of the nephrolithiasis. The patient received 1 L of saline over the first 5 h of her hospital admission. On examination at hour 6, the heart rate was 72 sitting and 90 standing, and blood pressure was 105/50 mmHg lying and standing. Her jugular venous pressure (JVP) was indistinct with no peripheral edema. On abdominal examination, the patient had a slight increase in bowel sounds but a nontender abdomen and no organomegaly.

Clinical Case of the Month: A 49 Year-Old Man Who Presents with Left Sided Weakness: An Update on Ischemic Stroke.

A 49 year-old man with a past medical history significant for essential hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and coronary artery disease status post percutaneous coronary intervention and stent placement in the right coronary artery in 2010 presented for evaluation of left hemiplegia. He was feeling well until three hours prior to presentation, at which time he fell while walking from his bedroom into the kitchen. After falling, he noticed that his left upper and lower extremities felt weak. He denied any symptoms preceding the fall or any loss of consciousness. On initial exam, the temperature was 99°F, the pulse was 93 beats per minute, the blood pressure was 191/100 mmHg, the respiratory rate was 22 breaths per minute, and the oxygen saturation was 100% while breathing room air. His neurological exam revealed diminished strength in the left upper extremity: 4/5 arm abduction and adduction of the left shoulder; 4/5 elbow and wrist extension and flexion; and 4/5 extension, abduction, and adduction of the digits. The patient also exhibited slight left upper extremity pronator drift. The strength was also diminished in the left lower extremity: 2/5 hip flexion, extension, and rotation; 3/5 knee flexion and extension; and 3/5 ankle dorsiflexion and plantar flexion. Initial NIH stroke scale score was 5, otherwise, there were no focal neurological deficits and the remainder of his exam was unremarkable. Initial computed tomography (CT) of the head was negative for any acute intracranial hemorrhage or infarct. A subsequent CT cerebral perfusion scan (Figure 1) was notable for areas of ischemia in the right cingulate gyrus as well as the medial frontal and parietal lobes. CT angiogram of the neck revealed bilateral atherosclerotic plaque in the carotid arteries; however, there was no evidence of any flow-limiting stenosis.

[A man in his eighties with recurrent syncope].

Syncope is usually a benign event that affects up to 50% of people over a lifetime, needing no extensive examination. The challenge is to diagnose the few with underlying life-threatening disease in need of immediate medical attention. Guidelines are clear, but unfortunately, clinical practice does not always follow recommendations, as illustrated by this case report. A diabetic, hypertensive male in his eighties had a myocardial infarction in his medical history. He presented to his GP with recurrent syncopal episodes that had occurred while erect and in motion. Physical examination was found to be normal for his age, and he was referred to a cardiologist and seen three months later. An ECG showed sinus rhythm and a previous inferior wall myocardial infarction. A 24-hour ECG recorder was fitted, and a consultation was scheduled for the next day. At home the patient died. The ECG recording revealed sinus rhythm with increasing depression of the ST segment, followed by rapidly conducted atrial fibrillation, and then rapid ventricular tachycardia followed by terminal ventricular fibrillation. A patient with a history where there is suspicion of cardiac syncope should be immediately and intensively examined when presenting to the healthcare services.

ECG of the Month. Unexpected Atrioventricular Conduction in High-Grade Atrioventricular Block. DIAGNOSIS: Sinus rhythm; high-grade second-degree atrioventricular block with a junctional escape rhythm and three capture complexes, each with right bundle branch block aberration; possible septal myocardial infarct of indeterminate age; ST-T and U wave changes suggesting hypokalemia.

A 90-year-old man with a history of high blood pressure, a cerebrovascular accident without focal residua, dementia, and stage 3 chronic kidney disease went to the emergency department because of dizziness and near syncope. His medications were aspirin 81 mg qd, clopidogrel 75 mg qod, escitalopram oxalate 10 mg qd, quetiapine fumarate 25 mg qd, and memantine hydrochloride 10 mg qd. He had orthrostatic hypotension with supine blood pressure of 173/77 mmHg falling to 116/68 on standing, while pulse increased from 66 to 84 beats/min. He received IV fluid and returned home. Two days later, he saw his primary care physician because of episodes of dizziness and confusion. The Figure shows an electrocardiogram recorded during that visit.

Orthostatic Hypotension -- History and Physical

Patients often present with generalized symptoms of lightheadedness, dizziness, or syncope and less commonly with leg buckling, headache, or chest pain. It is important to determine preceding events or precipitating events and look at the medication list. One must perform a detailed cardiovascular and neurologic exam to rule out a cardiogenic origin of the symptoms. In the elderly, it is also important to rule out neurogenic causes and hypovolemia secondary to diuretics, blood loss, vomiting, and polypharmacy. Particularly in the case of syncope, it is important to rule out other common causes such as seizure and neurocardiogenic syncope (vasovagal syncope).

ECG Case of the Month: Unexpected Atrioventricular Conduction in High-Grade Atrioventricular Block. Sinus rhythm; high-grade second degree atrioventricular block with a junctional escape rhythm and three capture complexes, each with right bundle branch block aberration; possible septal myocardial infarct of indeterminate age; ST-T and U wave changes suggesting hypokalemia.

A 90-year-old man with a history of high blood pressure, a cerebrovascular accident without focal residua, dementia, and stage 3 chronic kidney disease went to the emergency department because of dizziness and near syncope. His medications were aspirin 81 mg qd, clopidogrel 75 mg qod, escitalopram oxalate 10 mg qd, Seroquel 25 mg qd, and memantine hydrochloride 10 mg qd. He had orthostatic hypotension with supine blood pressure of 173/77 mm Hg falling to 116/68 on standing, while pulse increased from 66 to 84 beats/ min. He received IV fluid and returned home. Two days later he saw his primary care physician because of episodes of dizziness and confusion. The figure shows an electrocardiogram recorded during that visit.

Initial orthostatic hypotension as a cause of recurrent syncope: a case report.

A 60-year-old male patient with recurrent unexplained syncope on standing was studied. During continuous, noninvasive blood pressure (BP) recording with a Finapres device, an abnormally large and symptomatic initial decrease in systemic BP was documented. After 2 minutes of standing, BP had recovered. The transient decrease in BP was attributed to the use of a combination of antidepressants known to interfere with sympathetic function. This case shows the importance of continuous, noninvasive BP measurement on standing: routine intermittent BP recording would have missed the abnormality. In patients using medications such as antidepressants, initial transient hypotension should be considered as the cause of falls and syncope.

[Life-threatening sleepwalking (Elpenor's syndrome) in a 10-year-old child].

Though benign in the majority of cases, sleepwalking sometimes causes injuries due, among other causes, to falls. Such accidents can be life-threatening - a situation that has been termed Elpenor syndrome (in reference to an accident experienced by a character in Homer's epic The Odyssey) - in particular when entailing defenestration. This syndrome has been described in adults and adolescents; we report here a case in a child. This 10-year-old girl was admitted at night to our hospital after a 3-m fall at home. She was alert (Glasgow score, 15) at admission; a frontal wound and a deformation of the right wrist were noted. Brain CT scans showed a frontal skull fracture and frontal lobe contusion, wrist x-rays showed a displaced right fracture. The patient underwent urgent neurosurgery (wound excision and suture after reduction of skull fracture) and closed reduction and immobilization of the wrist fracture, both under general anesthesia. She underwent a psychiatric assessment in the intensive care unit 3 days after her fall. She was alert, well-oriented in time and space, and spoke fluently. She had no memory of her fall, only remembering going to bed in the evening before the accident and waking up in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. She displayed no sign of a concurrent mental illness and no suicidal ideas. Her parents reported that the evening of the accident she and her two brothers had all fallen asleep about 11:00 pm while watching TV, in the double bed of the guest room, placed just beside its window. At approximately 1:00 am, her father, who was going to bed and had just made noise in the hall, heard a cry from the guest room. He entered the room immediately and saw the opened window and his daughter lying on the outside ground; the brothers only awakened after the fall. The family had returned 2 days before from a 6-month stay in the United States, with jet-lag, sleep deprivation, and a disorganized sleep/wake rhythm in the patient. There was no medication before the accident, no substance use (including caffeine), and no concurrent medical problem. Over the 2 preceding years, the patient had undergone two witnessed episodes of early-nighttime arousal with altered consciousness and calm wandering (including going downstairs on one occasion), both strongly suggesting sleepwalking. There was a history of sleepwalking in her father and her older brother. Life-threatening sleepwalking (Elpenor syndrome) was diagnosed. The child and her parents were educated about sleepwalking; regularization of sleep schedules and sleep extension (avoidance of sleep deprivation, short napping when possible) were prescribed. We also recommended securing the home (bed, windows, and stairways). No pharmacological treatment was instituted. During the following 18 months, the child manifested only one noted sleepwalking episode, without risk-taking. She had no neurological or psychopathological sequela from her accident, of which she never had a memory. Elpenor syndrome can occur in a child; consequently, it is important to inform parents of children with sleepwalking about the necessity of always securing the night-time environment.

Postural hypotension in elderly family practice patients.

Postural hypotension (PH) was investigated in 100 ambulatory patients aged 65 years or older, who were seen in a university family practice clinic. Thirty-one percent had a decrease in systolic blood pressure of 20 mmHg or more, while 16 percent had a diastolic drop of 10 mmHg or more. Twelve percent had a significant drop in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure upon standing. Patients with both systolic and diastolic PH were more likely to have had a fall during the year prior to evaluation and decreased functional ability compared with those without PH. The group with systolic PH was more likely to have symptoms on standing and a history of weakness, but dizziness and lightheadedness were not correlated with PH. Postural hypotension occurred in only 13 percent of patients without risk factors for PH and in 35 percent of patients with risk factors. However, this difference was not statistically significant. Demographics and functional ability were similar between the risk factor groups. Thus, PH occurred frequently in our patients, could not be reliably predicted on the basis of risk factors or symptoms, and was correlated with a history of a recent fall and decreased functional ability.

Combination risperidone and SSRI-induced serotonin syndrome.

To report 2 cases of serotonin syndrome associated with combined therapy of risperidone and selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) in elderly patients. An 86-year-old white man was admitted to the emergency department because of increased confusion and generalized weakness over the past several days. His medication history indicated paroxetine 10 mg/d and risperidone 0.25 mg/d. The patient's confusion worsened and underwent acute changes that resembled delirium. He was placed in a geri chair and he became extremely agitated. He was then treated with escalating doses of risperidone. The patient died on day 5 of admission, at which time he was being treated with risperidone 2-3 mg/d. A 78-year-old white female nursing home resident was admitted to the emergency department because of increased confusion and generalized weakness. She was being treated with paroxetine for depression and risperidone for agitation. Her risperidone dose was increased to manage agitation. The patient's agitation worsened with increasing doses of risperidone; she developed tremor, dizziness, and muscle incoordination. After psychopharmacologic consultation, the risperidone and paroxetine were discontinued and she was treated with lorazepam. The patient recovered, returned to baseline status in 2 days, and was later transferred back to the nursing home. We believe that in both cases, serotonin syndrome was precipitated by risperidone in combination with SSRI antidepressants. A literature search indicated one report of serotonin syndrome with a combination of risperidone and paroxetine. An objective causality assessment revealed that the adverse drug event was probable in the first patient and definite in the second patient. We caution clinicians treating elderly patients with combined risperidone and SSRIs to include serotonin syndrome in differential diagnosis if the patient is showing signs of increasing agitation with escalating doses of risperidone.

[A study on fall accident].

The study was conducted from November 1995 to May 1996 at the one general hospital in Seoul. The total subjects of this study were 412 patients who have the experience of fall accident, among them 31 was who have fallen during hospitalization and 381 was who visited emergency room and out patient clinic. The purposes of this study were to determine the characteristics, risk factors and results of fall accident and to suggest the nursing strategies for prevention of fall. Data were collected by reviewing the medical records and interviewing with the fallers and their family members. For data analysis spss/pc+ program was utilized for descriptive statistics, adjusted standardized X2-test. The results of this study were as follows: 1) Total subjects were 412 fallers, of which 245 (59.5%) were men and 167 (40.5%) were women. Age were 0-14 years 79 (19.2%), 15-44 years 125 (30.4%), 45-64 years 104 (25.2%), over 65 years 104 (25.2%). 2) There was significant association between age and the sexes (X2 = 39.17, P = 0.00). 3) There was significant association between age and history of falls (X2 = 44.41, P = .00). And history of falls in the elderly was significantly associated with falls. 4) There was significant association with age and medical diagnosis (X2 = 140.66, P = .00), chief medical diagnosis were hypertension (34), diabetes mellitus (22), arthritis (11), stroke (8), fracture (7), pulmonary tuberculosis (6), dementia (5) and cataract (5). 5) There was significant association between age and intrinsic factors: cognitive impairment, mobility impairment, insomnia, emotional problems, urinary difficulty, visual impairments, hearing impairments, use of drugs (sedatives, antihypertensive drugs, diuretics, antidepressants) (P < 0.05). But there was no significant association between age and dizziness (X2 = 2.87, P = .41). 6) 15.3% of total fallers were drunken state when they were fallen. 7) Environmental factors of fall accident were unusual posture (50.9%), slips (35.2%), trips (9.5%) and collision (4.4%). 8) Most of falls occurred during the day time, peak frequencies of falls occurred from 1 pm to 6 pm and 7 am to 12 am. 9) The places of fall accident were roads (22.6%), house-stairs (16.7%), rooms, floors, kitchen (11.2%), the roof-top, veranda, windows (10.9%), hospital (7.5%), ice or snowy ways (5.8%), bathroom (4.9%), playground, park (4.9%), subway-stairs (4.4%) and public-bathrooms (2.2%). 10) Activities at the time of fall accident were walking (37.6%), turning around or reaching for something (20.9%), going up or down stairs (19.2%), exercise, working (17.4%), up or down from a bed (2.7%), using wheelchair or walking aids, standing up or down from a chair (2.2%) and standing still (2.2%). 11) Anatomical locations of injuries by falls were head, face, neck (31.3%), lower extremities (29.9%), upper extremities (20.6%), spine, thorax, abdomen or pelvic contents (11.4%) and unspecified (2.9%). 12) Types of injures were fracture (47.6%), bruises (13.8%), laceration (13.3%), sprains (9.0%), headache (6.6%), abrasions (2.9%), intracranial hemorhage (2.4%) and burns (0.5%). 13) 41.5% of the fallers were hospitalized and average of hospitalization was 22.3 days. 14) The six fallers (1.46%) died from fall injuries. The two fallers died from intracranial hemorhage and the four fallers died of secondary infection; pneumonia (2), sepsis (1) and cellulitis (1). It is suggested that 1) Further study is needed with larger sample size to identify the fall risk factors. 2) After the fall accident, comprehensive nursing care and regular physical exercise should be emphasized for the elderly person. 3) Safety education and safety facilities of the public place and home is necessary for fall prevention.

[Tips for taking the medical history in patients with syncope].

Transient loss of consciousness represents one of the most frequent reasons for patients to present in the emergency room. Already at the very beginning, the diagnostic work-up is faced with fundamental questions: (1) Was it really a loss of consciousness? (2) Which department (neurology, cardiology, or others) should check the patient? (3) Is an in-hospital diagnostic work-up required? These questions can be answered from a meticulous patient history which needs to be adjusted to the individual case but also has to systematically go through a list of questions. Patient history has to clarify whether syncope was present. Nonsyncopal events such as falls, transient global amnesia, epilepsy, psychogenic pseudosyncope, transient ischemic attack and drop attacks should be distinguished. In a second step, the four groups of causes of syncope can be assessed. Neurocardiogenic reflex syncope usually occurs with typical prodromes in typical situations in (younger) patients without heart disease. Orthostasis always occurs in upright position, typically associated with standing up and in patients treated with antihypertensive drugs. Arrhythmogenic syncope frequently shows an abrupt onset without prodromes, associated with injury and with palpitations or fast heart beat before the attack, in older patients frequently associated with known heart disease, in young patients without heart disease frequently with a family history positive for arrhythmias or sudden cardiac death. A positive history of structural cardiovascular disease should be considered as a cause of syncope, particularly if it occurs during exercise or in supine position, or is associated with chest pain or dyspnea. This review summarizes the most important questions that can elucidate the cause of syncope.

An 80-Year-Old Man With Dyspnea and Bilateral Pleural Effusions After Partial Nephrectomy for Renal Cell Carcinoma.

An 80-year-old man presented because of superficial head trauma sustained after falling from bed. On review of systems, he reported worsening dyspnea on exertion, nonproductive cough, and weight loss over the preceding 2 to 3 months. There was no report of chest pain or leg swelling. He had a past medical history of hypertension, coronary artery disease, subclinical hypothyroidism, and renal cell carcinoma treated with partial right nephrectomy approximately 1 year before this presentation. Two months earlier he had been evaluated in the dermatology clinic for painful, dystrophic fingernails. At that time he was diagnosed with acropachy with onycholysis and suspected superinfection, and after failing to improve with vinegar soaks and topical antimicrobials, he underwent surgical nail removal on the second and fourth digits of the right hand. Histological examination of the operative specimens revealed dystrophic nails with negative fungal stains. His medications included levothyroxine, hydrochlorothiazide, and clopidogrel. He had never smoked and had done clerical work until retirement. He was originally from Colombia.

Orthostatic Syncope -- History and Physical

The history and physical examination are essential components in the evaluation of a patient with orthostatic syncope. The history may reveal a cause for hypovolemia such as vomiting, diarrhea, and decreased oral intake. Melena, hematemesis, hematuria, menorrhagia or hematochezia point to blood loss. Elderly deconditioned patients, especially after prolonged hospitalization, may have reduced muscle tone. Review of the patients' medication list may show polypharmacy, culprit medications (including diuretics, vasodilators, other antihypertensives) and steroids (a clue to steroid-induced adrenal insufficiency). Review of the past medical history will reveal associated predisposing medical conditions (diabetes, Parkinsonism, dementia).

[Amnesic presentations of the compulsive obsessional confusions (about 3 patients appearing in a consultation of memory)].

Disorders or complaints of memory are a frequent cause of consultation in depression, major anxiety and psychiatry disease with personality disorders. We report 3 patients with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), without diagnosis and treatment, examined in a specialized memory consultation. They always had OCD with cognitive checking. Diagnosis of transient global amnesia and temporal complex seizure were discussed in 2 cases. Psychometric impairment only was observed in first free recall of a verbal memory task and was no specific. Behavioural during testing seemed to be very important to analyse. First, a 49-year-old man consulted because he had stereotyped transient amnesia lasted one minute, 2 or 3 times a week, since 6 months. He was a teacher. Transient amnesia always occurred during lessons. Suddenly he didn't know where he was or what he was speaking about. Episodes lasted one minute. After them, he had no confusion and no difficulty in concentration but intense anxiety. In an another hand, when he was in his car, after lessons, he could forget where he was during some minutes. CT scan and EEG were normal. Neuropsychological tests only objectived impairment in first free recall of Grober and Buschke's words. Patient explained that he could not prevent to check responses. He told us checking obsessive compulsive disorder during since long time ago. We discussed clear differences which existed between seizure and ruminations or preoccupations. Secondly, a 55-year-old woman was afraid of her memory performances. She was medical secretary and had no problem in her work but she would like a memory consultation to reassure herself. She was neither depressed nor anxious. She presented curious production in fluency task. She had to produce as many animals's names as possible: she could say 35 names which was an excellent performance but only in alphabetic order! Neuropsychological tests objectived impairment in her first free recall of Grober and Buschke's words. She tried in her first free recall to remember words in alphabetic order. She explained how she was bound to range everything in alphabetic order! She had a lot of rituals. She thought that she had an obsessive compulsive disorder but never consulted about this. The observation illustrated suspiscions about memory operations which could be observed in patients group with obsessive compulsive disorders. Finally, a 62-year-old man told us that he had presented a transient global amnesia during 4 hours. He had an important appointment and was upset about that. He didn't go to it and wandered in his flat. He always asked the same questions and forgot everything. He had no neurological deficit. He was anxious, sad and cried several times. He perfectly remembered the episod and thought that he had a panic attack! Verbal memory tests only objectived difficulties in his first free recall of Grober and Buschke words as the two others patients. He had a story of obsessive compulsive disorder with checking and rituals. In this observation, we discussed clear differences which existed between panic attacks and global transient amnesia. We analyzed patterns of neuropsychological performances which illustrated clinical features of obsessive compulsive disorder. These three patients impaired in their first free recall of verbal memory task. It is not a specific result. We observed during psychometric evaluation, strategic processing which impaired episodic memory: patients tried to check their performances. Memory complaints only were observed in checking obsessive compulsive disorder. It is a difficulty or a doubt about memory capacities. Difficulties could be due to particular cognitive processes who pertubate normal memory capacities.

[Infrequent systemic drug interaction: repeated syncope caused by combined treatment with timolol-containing eye drops and lercanidipine tablet].

The control and planning of the treatment of hypertensive patients need specific attention. As regards concomitant diseases and treatments, glaucoma and the use of eye drops should be taken into consideration. The ingredients of the administered eye drops get through the nasolacrimal canal and can be absorbed by the nasal mucosa. Because of the lack of enterohepatic 'first pass' effect, they can act systemically - like after intravenous administration. This way they can cause systemic side effects. The authors present a case of a patient, too, who was examined and medically checked regularly for years with negative results because of repeated syncope. It became clear only at the Hypertension Centre that the timolol-containing combined eye drops caused the symptoms. The authors draw attention to the fact that in the case of systemic side effects which can be connected to beta-blocking agents (blood pressure fall, bradycardia, breathing disturbance, depression), the role of the eye drops should be taken into consideration. At the same time, the possibility of the systemic drug interactions should not be forgotten either. The interaction with dihydropyridine-type calcium-channel blockers can be of great importance. In these cases, after consultation with an ophthalmologist, the glaucoma treatment with eye drops containing beta-blockers should be modified. Orv Hetil. 2019; 160(8): 309-313.

Postural blood pressure electrocardiographic changes are associated with falls in older people.

To determine the magnitude of postural blood pressure change, differences in ECG between fallers and non-fallers were measured. Postural blood pressure change is associated with symptoms of dizziness, presyncope, and syncope. In this cross-sectional study were included participants from The Malaysian Falls Assessment and Intervention Trial: fallers, aged 65 years or older with two or more falls or one injurious fall in 12 months, from a teaching hospital; and non-fallers, aged 65 years and older found through word-of-mouth and advertising. Noninvasive beat-to-beat blood pressure was measured at 10 min supine rest and 3 min standing. The maximal drop in systolic and diastolic pressure was calculated from a 12-lead ECG interpreted by a cardiologist. Basic demographics, medical history, and symptoms of dizziness, presyncope, and syncope were recorded for all patients. We recruited 155 fallers and 112 non-fallers. Fallers had a significantly longer PR interval (179 ± 32 vs. 168 ± 27 ms, p = 0.013) and a longer corrected QT interval (449 ± 41 vs. 443 ± 39 msec, p = 0.008), and larger change in SBP (28 ± 14 vs. 19 ± 9 mmHg, p < 0.001) with posture change. SBP drop of ≥30mmHg associated with recurrent and injurious falls [odds ratio [95 % confidence interval] = 7.61 (3.18-18.21)]. The changes remained significant after adjustment for symptoms of dizziness, presyncope and syncope. Older individuals with recurrent and injurious falls have significantly longer PR and QT intervals and larger SBP reduction with posture change as compared to non-fallers, and these are not explained by the presence of dizziness, presyncope, or syncope. SBP cut-off of ≥30mmHg considered for postural measurements using continuous BP monitors, the significance of this value needs to be evaluated.

Blood pressure and heart rate should be measured in supine and standing positions. As described above, orthostatic hypotension diagnosis is when there is a drop of greater than or equal to 20 mmHg or greater or equal to 10 mmHg in systolic and diastolic blood pressures, respectively within 3 minutes of standing. In the case of hypovolemia, there is also a compensatory rise in heart rate of greater than 15 beats/minute.

Penile angioedema developing after 3 years of ACEI therapy.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor-related angioedema (ACEI-RA) is a well-described condition, yet isolated genital ACEI-RA is a little-known entity. A case of isolated genital angioedema is presented with photographic documentation. Possible complications and therapeutic options are discussed. A 71-year-old man presented with painless, nonpruritic genital swelling of 4 h duration. Medical history included peptic ulcer disease, hypertension, and benign prostatic hypertrophy. His medications included pantoprazole, hydrochlorothiazide, and lisinopril, which he had been taking for 3 years without any recent change in dosing. He was otherwise asymptomatic and previously had been in good health generally. The physical examination was positive only for diffuse, soft, nonpitting edema isolated to the scrotum and uncircumcised penis. The foreskin was only partially retractable. Urinalysis was normal. All symptoms resolved without complications within 48 h of discontinuing lisinopril and had not recurred at follow-up 4 months later. All cases of ACEI-RA isolated to the genitals that have been reported in the literature resolved without complications. ACEI-RA can present as isolated swelling of the genitals and is a potential cause of genital swelling. Patients who have no evidence of airway compromise, paraphimosis, or urinary retention from complications such as phimosis can be safely discharged with instructions to discontinue the offending agent and to return in case of development of the aforementioned conditions.

Comorbidity

Patient S., 73 years, called an ambulance because of a sudden pressing pain in the chest. It was known from the case history that the patient suffered from CHD for many years. Such chest pains were experienced by her earlier as well, but they always disappeared after a few minutes of sublingual administration of organic nitrates. This time taking three tablets of nitroglycerine did not kill the pain. It was also known from the case history that the patient had twice suffered during the last ten years from myocardial infarction, as well as from Acute Cerebrovascular Event with sinistral hemiplegia more than 15 years ago. Apart from that the patient suffers from hypertension, type 2 diabetes with diabetic nephropathy, hysteromyoma, cholelithiasis, osteoporosis and varicose pedi-vein disease. It also came to knowledge that the patient regularly takes a number of antihypertensive drugs, urinatives and oral antihyperglycemic remedies, as well as statins, antiplatelet and nootropics. In the

Episodes of loss of consciousness in a patient with a background of cerebral venous thrombosis.

Episodes of loss of consciousness are common, even in young, healthy people, and can sometimes represent a diagnostic challenge. The main diagnoses to consider are syncope and epileptic seizures, both of which may have similar symptomatology such as dizziness, loss of consciousness, falls, or "convulsive" phenomena. We present the case of a young male patient with a background of two venous thrombosis episodes (superior vena cava thrombosis and cerebral venous thrombosis), attributed to protein C and S deficiency and complicated by high intracranial pressure. A lumboperitoneal shunt was performed and anticoagulant therapy was initiated. He did not experience any medical problems until several years later, when he suddenly began to develop frequent, repetitive, transient episodes of dizziness, followed by loss of consciousness. Simultaneous video-EEG and ECG performed during these events showed a typical pattern normally observed during syncope. Due to the absence of changes in heart rate or blood pressure, and taking into account his medical history, intracranial hypertension was considered as a possible cause of cerebral hypoperfusion. Cerebral arteriography demonstrated chronic thrombosis of all the cerebral sinuses, and the lumbar puncture an intracranial pressure of 47 mm Hg. The lumboperitoneal shunt was replaced and the patient has since not presented with any episodes. The use of simultaneous video-EEG and ECG is a reliable and efficient approach to differentiate between syncope and seizure and in this case, was the key to finding the cause of these episodes. [Published with video sequences].

Evaluation of the Dizzy and Unbalanced Patient -- History and Physical

Vital signs Frank hypotension Orthostatic hypotension (defined as blood pressure drop from sitting to standing:  systolic blood pressure decrease of 20 mm Hg or a diastolic blood pressure decrease of 10 mm Hg) Delayed orthostatic hypotension (usually detected on tilt-table testing)

Warfarin and royal jelly interaction.

An 87-year-old African-American man came to the internal medicine clinic for a routine anticoagulation management visit. He had no complaints. His medical history was significant for stage IV-A follicular non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, atrial fibrillation, and hypertension. His long-term drug therapy consisted of warfarin, felodopine, lisinopril-hydrochlorothiazide, controlled-release diltiazem, potassium chloride, and oxycodone. He reported adherence with his prescribed drugs and denied taking any over-the-counter or herbal products. Overall, the patient's drug therapy had been consistent during the preceding 3 months, no significant changes had occurred in his clinical status, and no significant changes had been noted in his diet; his international normalized ratio (INR) had ranged from 1.9-2.4 (therapeutic range 2-3). He denied tobacco use, alcohol consumption, and recent travel. Four weeks later, the patient came to the emergency department with hematuria. He denied dysuria, taking more than the prescribed amount of warfarin, any changes in his diet, taking any over-the-counter or herbal products, and any other bleeding. On admission to the hospital, his INR was 6.88, which increased to 7.29 during his hospital stay. On further investigation, the patient admitted that he had started taking an herbal supplement, royal jelly, 1 week earlier. When asked specifically about the ingredients in the supplement, he stated that royal jelly was the only component. Relative to the patient's denial of any other changes in his condition or drug regimen, the most probable explanation for his elevated INR and subsequent bleeding is a possible interaction between royal jelly and warfarin. To our knowledge, no case reports concerning royal jelly and warfarin taken concomitantly have been reported. Clinicians should be proactive and repeatedly provide education regarding the potential dangers of dietary supplements taken with conventional drugs.

Evaluation of syncope.

Syncopal episodes are relatively common. A variety of etiologies can underlie syncope, and the cause is often multifactorial. A thorough history and a complete physical examination are essential initial components in the evaluation of a patient with syncope. Prodromal symptoms often accompany fainting of vasovagal origin, while the occurrence of syncope without warning in a patient with cardiac problems suggests arrhythmia. Many medications, including antihypertensives, antidepressants and digitalis, may be responsible for episodes of fainting. The physical examination of a patient with a history of syncope includes measurement of orthostatic blood pressure, as well as careful cardiovascular and neurologic evaluations. The decision to use ancillary laboratory and electrocardiographic testing is guided by the patient's history and the findings on physical examination. Although new technologies, such as loop electrocardiography and tilt table tests, can aid in the diagnosis of syncope, they should not be used routinely.

Adaptive rate pacing controlled by right ventricular preejection interval for severe refractory orthostatic hypotension.

A 72-year-old African-American man with frequent recurrent syncope was found to have severe refractory orthostatic hypotension with concomitant supine hypertension. Pharmacotherapy was successful in controlling his supine hypertension but was unable to resolve his severe orthostatic hypotension. Temporary fixed rate tachypacing was only minimally effective in preventing syncope during upright tilt, while variable rate pacing based on degree of blood pressure fall was far superior. Following these observations, an adaptive rate pacing system controlled by right ventricular preejection interval was implanted (Precept DR Model 1200). The system adequately sensed the patient's fall in blood pressure when sitting or standing and augmented its rate accordingly, thus preventing syncope. While supine, the pacing rate fell to 60 ppm, thereby, avoiding an exacerbation of his concomitant supine hypertension. Over a 3-month follow-up period, he has had no further orthostatic or syncopal episodes. We conclude that adaptive rate pacing using right ventricular preejection interval may be an effective treatment for severe refractory orthostatic hypotension.

Dizziness and falling in elderly psychiatric outpatients.

The authors examined 100 psychiatric patients who were 60 years old and older for orthostatic hypotension and symptoms of dizziness and falling. Almost 40% of the patients complained of dizziness and falling, although only 27% had systolic orthostatic hypotension. Drug treatment, particularly the combination of tricyclics with other orthostatic hypotension-inducing drugs, was the most important factor accounting for the dizziness and falling. Underlying medical illness, particularly heart disease, also correlated significantly with the patients' symptoms.

Autism Spectrum Disorder and Mental Health Comorbidity Leading to Prolonged Inpatient Admission.

Sam is a 6-year-old boy with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who recently relocated and has an appointment with you, his new pediatric clinician, to establish care. He was previously followed by a psychiatrist for 2 years for additional diagnoses of insomnia, bipolar disorder, anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and intellectual disability. He has tried and (apparently) failed multiple psychotropic trials including stimulants, nonstimulants, mood stabilizers, atypical antipsychotics, and nonbenzodiazepine hypnotics. He has a delayed sleep onset and frequent night awakenings each night for the past 3 months, during which he "screams, cries, and thrashes and can stay up for over an hour." His behaviors are described as irritable, self-injurious, and aggressive with no clear pattern of triggers according to his mother. He is nonverbal and communicates by leading and rarely pointing. The patient's current medication regimen includes clonidine 0.2 mg at night, lorazepam 1.5 mg as needed at night, olanzapine 5 mg twice daily, and diphenhydramine as needed for sleep/agitation. His mother is concerned that he is developing "tolerance" to the regimen and wants to wean him off some of the medications. His mother is struggling to take care of the patient given his worsening behavior and body habitus (body mass index >99%; z = 3.41).There is a family history of depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and autism. He has a 3-year-old sister, who is also diagnosed with ASD, though she is not as severely impacted. His mother's partner recently moved in along with 2 children of his own, aged 3 and 4 years. Sam attends a specialized school, where he receives behavior therapy and occupational therapy. He has undergone inpatient pediatric hospitalization twice, 1 time for 3 weeks and the other for 6 days, for aggressive behavior, and in both instances, he was discharged before inpatient psychiatric placement because of a lack of available beds.After urgent consultation with your local developmental and behavioral pediatrician, a slight reduction was made in the lorazepam because of concerns about tolerance and side effects. However, within a week of this, he was brought to the emergency department for continued self-injurious behavior and increased trouble with sleeping. His mother voiced concerns about his safety in the home, which were particularly related to aggression toward his younger sister. He was admitted to the pediatric inpatient floor for observation, and medication adjustment (increasing olanzapine), which was initially helpful in improving behavior, but mostly behavioral/environmental strategies were used to soothe him, including frequent wagon rides through the hospital corridors.Despite the patient being stable from the medical standpoint, Sam's mother did not feel comfortable taking him home. Social work contacted local community mental health services to pursue outpatient resources and respite care options and sought inpatient pediatric psychiatry. After several failed attempts to find placement, he remained in pediatric inpatient care for 1 and a half months with no acute medical interventions other than his oral medications.He was finally accepted to the in-state pediatric psychiatric facility when a bed was available. During his week-long stay, he had further medication adjustments with a decrease in olanzapine and optimization of his clonidine dose. During his psychiatric hospital stay, care coordination succeeded in arranging center-based applied behavior analysis interventions and respite care and parent training for his family. Sam began to show improvement in his overall agitation and aggression, requiring less clonazepam, and his mother then maintained outpatient follow-up.The day before discharge, you visit him in the hospital, and a medical student asks you why he was in the hospital for so long. How would you answer the question?

Methodical history taking may help in timely diagnosis of spontaneous intracranial hypotension.

Orthostatic headache (OH) is a key symptom of spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH). However, there is no optimal history taking for OH. A 35-year-old man complained of headache that prevented him from performing routine physical activities, which was relieved on lying down. We initially considered migraine as the most likely diagnosis. However, detailed history taking revealed that his headache worsened on standing, and he was finally diagnosed with SIH. Headache relief on lying down is not a specific indicator of OH associated with SIH. Thus, with regard to headache history taking, we suggest it important to confirm headache aggravation on standing.

Unexpected shock in a fallen older adult: a case report.

Falls are common in older adults and frequently require ambulance service assistance. They are the most frequent cause of injury and associated morbidity and mortality in older adults. In recent years, the typical major trauma patient has changed from being young and male to being older in age, with falls of < 2 metres being the most common mechanism of injury. We present a case of an 84-year-old male who had fallen in his home. This case highlights the complex nature of a relatively common incident. The patient was laid on the floor in the prone position unable to move for 12 hours. He did not complain of any pain in his neck, back, hips or legs, and wished to be lifted off the floor promptly. On examination, he had bruising to his chest and abdomen and had suffered a suspected cervical spine injury due to a step-like protrusion around C5-C6. Distal sensory and motor function was intact. While in the ambulance his blood pressure dropped from 154/119 mmHg to 49/28 mmHg unexpectedly. We successfully reversed the shock using the modified Trendelenburg position and intravenous fluids. On follow-up he was diagnosed with dislocated C3, C6 and C7 vertebrae. The unexpected episode of shock witnessed in this patient may have been caused by a number of phenomena, including but not limited to crush syndrome, spinal cord concussion and orthostatic hypotension. We recommend that clinicians anticipate sudden shock in older adult patients who have fallen and a) have remained static on the floor for an extended period of time or b) are suspected of a spinal injury. We recommend assertive management of these patients to mitigate the impact of shock through postural positioning and consideration of early cannulation.