Amnesia physical examination
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Zehra Malik, M.B.B.S[2]
Overview
Patients with amnesia may have variable [general appearance] depending on the underlying cause of memory loss.
Physical Examination
Patients with amnesia may have variable [general appearance] depending on the underlying cause of memory loss.
Appearance of the Patient
- Patients with memory loss could appear completely normal or may present with cognitive impairment, signs of head trauma, alcohol abuse.
Vital Signs
- It is crucial to assess vital signs repeatedly and compare Glasgow Coma Scale scores in intervals for patients with recent history of head trauma with or without loss of consciousness.[1]
- Vital Signs should include assessment of heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, and temperature.
Skin
- Skin examination of patients with memory loss is usually normal, signs of head trauma should be assessed.
HEENT
- HEENT examination of patients with amnesia is usually normal. Abnormalities to be observed includes:
- Evidence of trauma
- Nystagmus in Korsakoff's syndrome
- Ophthalmoscope examination may be abnormal with findings of papilledema in case of head trauma.
Neck
- Neck examination of patients with amnesia is usually normal.
Lungs
- Pulmonary examination of patients with amnesia is usually normal.
Heart
- Cardiovascular examination of patients with amnesia is usually normal.
Abdomen
- Abdominal examination of patients with amnesia is usually normal.
Back
- Back examination of patients with [disease name] is usually normal.
OR
- Point tenderness over __ vertebrae (e.g. L3-L4)
- Sacral edema
- Costovertebral angle tenderness bilaterally/unilaterally
- Buffalo hump
Genitourinary
- Genitourinary examination of patients with amnesia is usually normal.
Neuromuscular
- Neuromuscular examination of patients with [disease name] is usually normal.
OR
- Patient is usually oriented to persons, place, and time
- Altered mental status
- Glasgow coma scale is ___ / 15
- Clonus may be present
- Hyperreflexia / hyporeflexia / areflexia
- Positive (abnormal) Babinski / plantar reflex unilaterally/bilaterally
- Muscle rigidity
- Proximal/distal muscle weakness unilaterally/bilaterally
- ____ (finding) suggestive of cranial nerve ___ (roman numerical) deficit (e.g. Dilated pupils suggestive of CN III deficit)
- Unilateral/bilateral upper/lower extremity weakness
- Unilateral/bilateral sensory loss in the upper/lower extremity
- Positive straight leg raise test
- Abnormal gait (describe gait: e.g. ataxic (cerebellar) gait / steppage gait / waddling gait / choeiform gait / Parkinsonian gait / sensory gait)
- Positive/negative Trendelenburg sign
- Unilateral/bilateral tremor (describe tremor, e.g. at rest, pill-rolling)
- Normal finger-to-nose test / Dysmetria
- Absent/present dysdiadochokinesia (palm tapping test)
Extremities
- Extremities examination of patients with [disease name] is usually normal.
OR
- Clubbing
- Cyanosis
- Pitting/non-pitting edema of the upper/lower extremities
- Muscle atrophy
- Fasciculations in the upper/lower extremity