Substance/medication-induced sleep disorders — MCQs

A 32-year-old man is brought to the emergency department because he was found stumbling in the street heedless of oncoming traffic. On arrival, he is found to be sluggish and has slow and sometimes incoherent speech. He is also drowsy and falls asleep several times during questioning. Chart review shows that he has previously been admitted after getting a severe cut during a bar fight. Otherwise, he is known to be intermittently homeless and has poorly managed diabetes. Serum testing reveals the presence of a substance that increases the duration of opening for an important channel. Which of the following symptoms may be seen if the most likely substance in this patient is abruptly discontinued?

A 17-year-old man presents to his primary care physician concerned about excessive sleepiness that has persisted his entire life. He notes that he has been having difficulty with his job as a waiter because he often falls asleep suddenly during the day. He also experiences a sensation of dreaming as he goes to sleep even though he still feels awake. He sleeps about 10 hours per day and still feels tired throughout the day. The patient has even reported driving into a tree once as he fell asleep while driving. The patient often stays up late at night working on the computer. Physical exam demonstrates an obese young man who appears tired. His oropharynx demonstrates high palatal ridges and good dental hygiene. Which of the following is the best next step in management?

A 53-year-old woman presented to her PCP with one week of difficulty falling asleep, despite having good sleep hygiene. She denies changes in her mood, weight loss, and anhedonia. She has had difficulty concentrating and feels tired throughout the day. Recently, she was fired from her previous job. What medication would be most helpful for this patient?

A 23-year-old man presents with fatigue and increased daytime somnolence. He says his symptoms began gradually 6 months ago and have progressively worsened and have begun to interfere with his job as a computer programmer. He is also bothered by episodes of paralysis upon waking from naps and reports visual hallucinations when falling asleep at night. He has been under the care of another physician for the past several months, who prescribed him the standard pharmacotherapy for his most likely diagnosis. However, he has continued to experience an incomplete remission of symptoms and has been advised against increasing the dose of his current medication because of an increased risk of adverse effects. Which of the following side effects is most closely associated with the standard drug treatment for this patient’s most likely diagnosis?

A 37-year-old male presents to general medical clinic reporting sleeping difficulties. He states that he has daytime sleepiness, having fallen asleep several times while driving his car recently. He sometimes experiences very vivid dreams just before awakening. You ask the patient's wife if she has witnessed any episodes where her husband lost all muscle tone and fell to the ground, and she confirms that he has not had this symptom. The patient notes that this condition runs in his family, and he desperately asks for treatment. You begin him on a first-line medication for this illness, which works by which mechanism of action?

A 25-year-old male presents to his primary care physician with a chief complaint of anxiety and fatigue. The patient states that during this past week he has had final exams and has been unable to properly study and prepare because he is so exhausted. He states that he has been going to bed early but has been unable to get a good night’s sleep. The patient admits to occasional cocaine and marijuana use. Otherwise, the patient has no significant past medical history and is not taking any medications. On physical exam you note a tired and anxious appearing young man. His neurological exam is within normal limits. The patient states that he fears he will fail his courses if he does not come up with a solution. Which of the following is the best initial step in management?

A 28-year-old man is brought to the emergency department after he was found half dressed and incoherent in the middle of the road. In the emergency department he states that he has not slept for 36 hours and that he has incredible ideas that will make him a billionaire within a few months. He also states that secret agents from Russia are pursuing him and that he heard one of them speaking through the hospital intercom. His past medical history is significant only for a broken arm at age 13. On presentation, his temperature is 102.2°F (39°C), blood pressure is 139/88 mmHg, pulse is 112/min, and respirations are 17/min. Physical exam reveals pupillary dilation and psychomotor agitation. Which of the following mechanisms is most likely responsible for this patient's symptoms?

A 5-year-old boy is brought to the physician by his parents because of 2 episodes of screaming in the night over the past week. The parents report that their son woke up suddenly screaming, crying, and aggressively kicking his legs around both times. The episodes lasted several minutes and were accompanied by sweating and fast breathing. The parents state that they were unable to stop the episodes and that their son simply went back to sleep when the episodes were over. The patient cannot recall any details of these incidents. He has a history of obstructive sleep apnea. He takes no medications. His vital signs are within normal limits. Physical examination shows no abnormalities. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?

A 17-year-old high school student comes to the physician because of a 6-month history of insomnia. On school nights, he goes to bed around 11 p.m. but has had persistent problems falling asleep and instead studies at his desk until he feels sleepy around 2 a.m. He does not wake up in the middle of the night. He is worried that he does not get enough sleep. He has significant difficulties waking up on weekdays and has repeatedly been late to school. At school, he experiences daytime sleepiness and drinks 1–2 cups of coffee in the mornings. He tries to avoid daytime naps. On the weekends, he goes to bed around 2 a.m. and sleeps in until 10 a.m., after which he feels rested. He has no history of severe illness and does not take medication. Which of the following most likely explains this patient's sleep disorder?

A 31-year-old woman presents to your office with one week of recurrent fevers. The highest temperature she recorded was 101°F (38.3°C). She recently returned from a trip to Nigeria to visit family and recalls a painful bite on her right forearm at that time. Her medical history is significant for two malarial infections as a child. She is not taking any medications. On physical examination, her temperature is 102.2°F (39°C), blood pressure is 122/80 mmHg, pulse is 80/min, respirations are 18/min, and pulse oximetry is 99% on room air. She has bilateral cervical lymphadenopathy and a visible, enlarged, mobile posterior cervical node. Cardiopulmonary and abdominal examinations are unremarkable. She has an erythematous induration on her right forearm. The most likely cause of this patient's symptoms can be treated with which of the following medications?