DHA Mental Health & Psychiatry Flashcards
7 cards from real DHA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 DHA Mental Health & Psychiatry flashcards as text
A patient with bipolar I disorder is stable on lithium but presents with a serum lithium level of 1.8 mEq/L and coarse tremor. What is the most appropriate next step?
Answer: Hold lithium and assess for toxicity symptoms
A lithium level above 1.5 mEq/L with symptoms like coarse tremor indicates early toxicity and requires holding the dose and clinical reassessment.
Which defense mechanism is a patient using when they attribute their own unacceptable feelings of anger onto another person?
Answer: Projection
Projection involves attributing one's own unacceptable thoughts or feelings to another person.
A 28-year-old female presents with recurrent episodes of binge eating followed by excessive exercise but no purging. Her BMI is 22. Which diagnosis best fits?
Answer: Bulimia nervosa, non-purging subtype
Bulimia nervosa non-purging subtype involves compensatory behaviors like excessive exercise rather than vomiting or laxative use.
Which medication is FDA-approved for the treatment of irritability associated with autism spectrum disorder in children?
Answer: Aripiprazole
Aripiprazole (and risperidone) are FDA-approved for treating irritability associated with autism spectrum disorder in pediatric patients.
A patient describes hearing a voice that comments on their actions throughout the day. This is best described as:
Answer: Third-person auditory hallucination
A voice that comments on the patient's actions is a third-person auditory hallucination, characteristic of schizophrenia.
In the UAE Mental Health Law, what is the maximum duration of emergency involuntary psychiatric admission before formal review is required?
Answer: 72 hours
Under UAE Mental Health Law, emergency involuntary admissions must undergo formal review within 72 hours.
Which of the following best describes the concept of 'expressed emotion' (EE) in the context of schizophrenia relapse?
Answer: Family communication patterns involving criticism and over-involvement
High expressed emotion—characterized by criticism, hostility, and emotional over-involvement from family—is a major predictor of relapse in schizophrenia.