Psychiatric presentation of medical illness.

TitlePsychiatric presentation of medical illness.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication1987
AuthorsSpaite DW, Smith RA
JournalJ Emerg Med
Volume5
Issue5
Pagination367-73
Date Published1987 Sep-Oct
ISSN Number0736-4679
KeywordsAdult, Brain Neoplasms, Cerebral Infarction, Depression, Diagnosis, Differential, Female, Humans, Memory Disorders, Tomography, X-Ray Computed
Abstract

A 37-year-old woman was seen in the emergency department for symptoms of depression. A careful mental status examination resulted in the discovery of an organic basis for the "psychiatric" presentation. As with any patient demonstrating behavioral abnormalities, this case illustrates the importance of an adequate history, physical, and mental status evaluation in ruling out organic etiology prior to labeling a patient's complaints as functional. Medical illnesses that can present as apparent psychiatric disease and the clinical clues that lead to the diagnosis of such cases are discussed.

Alternate JournalJ Emerg Med
PubMed ID3668200
Faculty Reference: 
Daniel W. Spaite, MD