OVERVIEW
This page is dedicated to organizing various examples of standardized exam questions whose answer is Lewy body disease. While this may seem a odd practice, it is useful to see multiple examples of how Lewy body disease will be characterized on standardized exams (namely the boards and the shelf exams). This page is not meant to be used as a tradition question bank (as all of the answers will be the same), however seeing the classic “test” characterization for a disease is quite valuable.
QUESTION EXAMPLES
Question # 1
A 78 year old man is brought to the clinic by his wife because of a 8 month history of confusion. She explains that he talks to people who are not present. The patient says he sometimes sees and converses with nonthreatening people that are sitting next to his bed. The patient denies other symptoms. He has a history of hypertension. About 20 years a go he underwent a coronary artery bypass graft for coronary artery disease. Currently he is taking atenolol and aspirin. He was a former pharmacist, however he retired 10 years ago. His temperature is 98.7°F, pulse is 103/min, and his blood pressure is 150/95 mm Hg. His cardiopulmonary exam shows no abnormalities. His muscle tone in both his arms and legs is slightly decreased. His gait is slow and narrow based. Mental status exam reveals a pleasant affect, however he appears dulled. He can recall 2 out of 5 words after 5 minutes. When conducting serial 7s he reports the following numbers: 100, 92, 73, and 64. He is unable to spell “world” backward and can not draw a clock accurately. His results of a CBC and serum studies are not remarkable. A ECG is ordered and shows regular sinus rhythm. What is the most likely diagnosis for this patient?
Explanation: hallucinations in the setting of dementia = Lewy body disease/dementia
Page Updated: 09.17.2016