WBR0384
| Author | [[PageAuthor::Rim Halaby, M.D. [1]]] |
|---|---|
| Exam Type | ExamType::USMLE Step 1 |
| Main Category | MainCategory::Pharmacology |
| Sub Category | SubCategory::Neurology |
| Prompt | [[Prompt::A 40 year old Caucasian obese female patient presents to her physician for recent headache, nausea, and vomiting. After appropriate work-up, the patient is diagnosed with pseudotumor cerebri. Her physician decides the patient requires pharmacologic therapy to treat her condition. For what other clinical uses is the medication prescribed helpful for?]] |
| Answer A | AnswerA::Raynaud phenomenon |
| Answer A Explanation | AnswerAExp::Dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers are used for symptomatic relief of Raynaud phenomenon. |
| Answer B | AnswerB::Idiopathic hypercalciruria |
| Answer B Explanation | AnswerBExp::Thiazide-type diuretics are useful for idiopathic hypercalciruria. A common side effect of thiazides is hypercalcemia; in contrast to loop diuretics that lose serum calcium. |
| Answer C | AnswerC::Glaucoma |
| Answer C Explanation | AnswerCExp::Acetazolamide is a diuretic that inhibits carbonic anhydrase. It is also used to treat altitude (not motion) sickness, glaucoma, and conditions that require alkalinization of urine. |
| Answer D | AnswerD::Motion sickness |
| Answer D Explanation | AnswerDExp::First generation antihistamines, such as dimenhydrinate, are useful for motion sickness. |
| Answer E | AnswerE::Pulmonary arterial hypertension |
| Answer E Explanation | AnswerEExp::Endothelin-1 receptor antagonist is used to treat pulmonary hypertension. |
| Right Answer | RightAnswer::C |
| Explanation | [[Explanation::Pseudotumor cerebri (idiopathic intracranial hypertension) is a neurological condition characterized by elevated intracranial pressure (ICP). Common symptoms are headache, nausea, vomiting, and pulsatile tinnitus. The disease usually affects middle-aged obese women. Lumbar puncture and measurement of opening pressure is diagnostic and often therapeutic, either permanently or temporarily.
Weight loss is key for management of pseudotumor cerebri. Pharmacologic therapy includes acetazolamide. Acetazolamide is a diuretic that inhibits carbonic anhydrase. It is also used to treat altitude (not motion) sickness, glaucoma, and conditions that require alkalinization of urine. Furosemide is another pharmacologic option for pseudotumor cerebri. Educational Objective: Pseudotumor cerebri is a neurological condition that generally affects middle-aged obese women. In addition to lumbar puncture and weight loss, acetazolamide can be used to treat pseudotumor cerebri. Other uses of acetazolamide include glaucoma, altitude sickness, and alkalinization of urine. Reference:
Wall M. Idiopathic intracranial hypertension. Neurologic clinics. 2010;28(3):593-617. |
| Approved | Approved::No |
| Keyword | |
| Linked Question | Linked:: |
| Order in Linked Questions | LinkedOrder:: |