Papilledema is a term I never really understood. It sounded weird, so I guess I never bothered. That was dumb. It isn’t very hard.
All it is, is a condition where the optic disc is swollen. Its margins are blurred on exam. The key is that it’s caused by increased intracranial pressure. Think about what might cause increased intracranial pressure:
Cerebral hemorrhage
Encephalitis
Aneurysm
Tumor (mass effect)
etc…
There are loads of reason, but the point is that papilledema is a clue to a bigger problem. Don’t skip it because it’s a funny word. Don’t think it’s hard because it’s a funny word.
I’m working on something VERY exciting that I plan to release in the Spring that will help you to get a lot more of these terms under control. I’m not ready to show you quite yet but keep your eyes peeled.
In the meantime, The Final Step is designed to get you to remember the key ideas and separate some tough concepts so that you’re ready for you medicine exams, EORS, or the PANCE/PANRE.
Use that book a few minutes a day and you’ll be moving your seat up to the front of the class before you know it.
www.physicianassistantexamreview.com/thefinalstep
Brian Wallace
