MEDI7212 Lecture 49: W7 - Fatigue
Document Summary
Definition terminology - fatigue, tiredness, lack of energy, excessive sleepiness, weakness, dyspnoea on exertion. Fatigue is a symptom that manifests in multiple ways: difficulty or inability initiating activity (perception of generalised weakness, reduced capacity maintaining activity (easy fatigability, difficulty with concentration, memory and emotional stability (mental fatigue, classification of fatigue. Sleep related fatigue: physical weakness related fatigue, energy depleted related fatigue. Fatigue is a major symptom found in all populations associated with multiple factors: higher prevalence in f > m. Fatigue should be distinguished from somnolence, dyspnoea, muscle weakness. Causes: 10% patients have fatigue as main complaint, 25% gp attendees relate to chronic fatigue, psychological and pharmacological causes account for ~66% patients, psychological causes account for 60-80% chronic fatigue patients, 75% fatigued patients have psychiatric symptoms. Specific causative medical disease (other than psychiatric or sleep disorders) accounts for <10% patients: common causes. Other physical disorders (15%) - anemia, dm, hypothyroidism, infectious disease, cancer.
