Question

Which of the following conditions are commonly confused with hypoglycemia?

COVID-19
stroke
myocardial infarction
alcohol intoxication
psychosis
emphysema

Answer 1

Conditions commonly confused with hypoglycemia include alcohol intoxication, stroke, and myocardial infarction due to similar symptoms such as confusion and neurological deficits. Addison's disease and different glycemic disorders may also present with hypoglycemic-like symptoms. Distinguishing between these conditions is crucial for correct management.

Step-by-step explanation:

Commonly confused conditions with hypoglycemia include various metabolic, neurological, and systemic disorders. Hypoglycemia can mimic or be confused with conditions such as alcohol intoxication, which can cause symptoms such as confusion, agitation, or impaired consciousness. Another important condition to differentiate from hypoglycemia is a stroke, as both can present with neurological deficits, although their management is vastly different. Conditions such as myocardial infarction (heart attack) might also be confused with hypoglycemia because the stress of an acute heart attack can lead to a transient drop in blood glucose levels.

Additional confusion may arise in postoperative situations and with Addison's disease (hypoadrenalism), which might also manifest hypoglycemic symptoms. Other medical contexts to consider include the detection of hypoinsulinism or hyperinsulinism, assessment of glycogen storage diseases, and cases of diabetic coma where insulin therapy results in hypoglycemia, indicating the need for an adjustment in insulin dosage.

Answer 2

Step-by-step explanation:

Medical Conditions that Mimic Psychiatric Disease: A Systematic Approach for Evaluation of Patients Who Present with Psychiatric Symptomatology

Author: Steven T. Dorsey, MD, Associate Staff Physician, Department of Emergency Medicine, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation; Assistant Residency Director, Case Western Reserve University/MetroHealth Medical Center/Cleveland Clinic Foundation Emergency Medicine Residency Program; Consultant, Department of Emergency Medicine, MetroHealth Medical Center, Cleveland, OH.

Peer Reviewers: Jeffrey J. Bazarian, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY; Travis Roth, MD, Assistant Professor, Emergency Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA.

Most emergency physicians (EPs) encounter patients with psychiatric chief complaints on a daily basis, and not infrequently, such patients are a source of undue frustration. Evaluation of patients with psychiatric complaints can be a time-consuming process, and can be complicated by a number of factors, including difficulty obtaining an accurate history; physician biases; disruptive behavior; and mandatory involvement and consultation from psychiatric consultants, case workers, and social workers.