Substance intoxication

[shigella123]

"A 34-year-old male is found in the middle of the highway screaming and talking to himself. He is brought into the emergency room where the intern obtains a history that he has been awake for several days. On examination, he has a temperature of 103.4, blood pressure of 210/100, and a heart rate of 190. Examination of his eyes shows pupillary dilatation. The intern reads the EKG taken as showing an arrhythmia. Which of the following substances is the patient likely intoxicated with?

A. Amphetamines
B. Cocaine
C. PCP-phencyclidine
D. LSD-Lysergic acid
E. Opioids


What do you think is the answer and why?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[CherryRedDracul]

A.

Based on his symptoms, it looks like his sympathetic nervous system's all revved up. The question is specifically asking what substance he's intoxicated with so we'd narrow down the choices to those that would promote excessive sympathetic stimulation. That brings it down to A and B. Cocaine has too short of a half-life while amphetamines have a much longer one. It's not unusual to hear about meth users who spend multiple days to weeks awake with only power naps here and there and using to maintain a constant high.

 

[shigella123]

You are right as usual...

"Cocaine has too short of a half-life while amphetamines have a much longer one. It's not unusual to hear about meth users who spend multiple days to weeks awake with only power naps here and there and using to maintain a constant high."


Didn't know that.... Thaaank youu!

 

[CherryRedDracul]

You are right as usual...

"Cocaine has too short of a half-life while amphetamines have a much longer one. It's not unusual to hear about meth users who spend multiple days to weeks awake with only power naps here and there and using to maintain a constant high."


Didn't know that.... Thaaank youu!

Was that really the exact explanation? Because I honestly never encountered that question before nor did I read the explanation beforehand.

Am I psychic? I sure damn hope so.

 

[shigella123]

You have become very good at it for sure. I was not sure about the explanation. It was posted by Phloston.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/amphetamines-vs-cocaine-help.928031/

 

[NeuroLAX]

Shigella, bro/bra... serious question. Have you ever seen anybody high on illicit/pharmaceutical drugs?

 

[shigella123]

Shigella, bro/bra... serious question. Have you ever seen anybody high on illicit/pharmaceutical drugs?

bra???? lool... you're hilarious...

Seen them in person? Not yet.

Yeah, I'm bad with the substance abuse questions. I can tell if pts are high or not, but have hard time identifying on which one. So, I'm working on improving that.

FYI, I'm a girl.

 

[swoopyswoop]

I got a Q about marijuana wrong once. 14 y/o girl brought into ER by parents because she appears really sedated and they are freaking out but she doesn't seem to care, except she is really hungry. felt really dumb.

 

[shigella123]

I got a Q about marijuana wrong once. 14 y/o girl brought into ER by parents because she appears really sedated and they are freaking out but she doesn't seem to care, except she is really hungry. felt really dumb.

Thanks for sharing. Besides the hungry part of the patient nothing else fits the Mari picture b/c in FA it says that mari would have euphoria, conjunctival injections, slow time perception, paranoid, and socially w/d. Also, in amphetamine w/d, there would also be increase appetite. I would have gotten it wrong too. :I

 

[acciddropping]

"A 34-year-old male is found in the middle of the highway screaming and talking to himself. He is brought into the emergency room where the intern obtains a history that he has been awake for several days. On examination, he has a temperature of 103.4, blood pressure of 210/100, and a heart rate of 190. Examination of his eyes shows pupillary dilatation. The intern reads the EKG taken as showing an arrhythmia. Which of the following substances is the patient likely intoxicated with?

A. Amphetamines
B. Cocaine
C. PCP-phencyclidine
D. LSD-Lysergic acid
E. Opioids


What do you think is the answer and why?

My approach will be
PCP ==> aggression like punching someone
LSD ==> hallucination (seeing stuff)
Opioides ==> depressant
Ampheatamines tend to have psychosis more so than cocaine and awake 4 several days is a give away...

 

[swoopyswoop]

Thanks for sharing. Besides the hungry part of the patient nothing else fits the Mari picture b/c in FA it says that mari would have euphoria, conjunctival injections, slow time perception, paranoid, and socially w/d. There would also be increase appetite in amphetamine w/d. I would have gotten it wrong too. :I

It was a bad Q made up by a prof, not uworld or anything. most marijuana Qs on the real deal will involve "conjunctival injection" or "dry mucous membranes"

 

[CherryRedDracul]

It was a bad Q made up by a prof, not uworld or anything. most marijuana Qs on the real deal will involve "conjunctival injection" or "dry mucous membranes"

And the inability to stop smiling and giggling.

 

[swoopyswoop]

seriously drug intoxication Qs are the best. just memorize the drugs that cause mydriasis vs miosis, and the main feature of each drug AND the withdrawal (should just be the opposite!) and the antidotes

 

[shigella123]

Thanks everyone. This helped reinforce info in my head. After discussing it, I tend to remember and recall things well.