Forging ahead
Journal of Hospital Medicine. 2017 March;12(3):188-192 | DOI 10.12788/jhm.2706
© 2017 Society of Hospital Medicine
KEY TEACHING POINTS
- A complaint of general weakness requires distinction between asthenia (ie, general loss of strength or energy) and true neuromuscular weakness from dysfunction of the brain, spinal cord, nerve, neuromuscular junction, and/or muscle.
- Guillain-Barré syndrome may present in a variety of atypical fashions not limited to ascending, distally predominant weakness.
- Acute postgastric reduction surgery neuropathy should be considered in patients presenting with weakness, vomiting, or hyporeflexia after bariatric surgery.
- Acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy may rapidly progress to respiratory failure, and warrants serial neurologic examinations, monitoring of pulmonary function, and an expedited diagnostic evaluation.
Disclosure
Nothing to report.