Condition Info - BotMed Application

ConditionName

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)

ConditionDescription

Symptoms

Difficulty walking or doing normal daily activities;
Tripping and falling;
Weakness in your leg, feet or ankles;
Hand weakness or clumsiness;
Slurred speech or trouble swallowing;
Muscle cramps and twitching in your arms, shoulders and tongue;
Inappropriate crying, laughing or yawning;
Cognitive and behavioral changes;
Idiopathic;

PhysicalFindings

Difficulty chewing and swallowing;
Decreased Gag reflex;
Slowed rapid alternating movement, gait disorder;
Dysarthria or dysphagia (bulbar dysfunction) 20%;
Asymmetric limb weakness (80%);
Sexual, bladder, rectal functions are intact ;
Exclusively a loss of upper and lower motor neuron;
NO sensory loss! Only moto neuron loss;
Sphincters are spared

ClinicalTests

MRI of the brain and, if no cranial nerve involvement, cervical spine;
Electromyography – best test;
Loss of neural innervation in multiple muscle group;

CPK level ↑;

RiskFactors

20-40 y/o;

IsRedFlag

IsNPLEX

Consequence

Frequent episodes of aspiration;
Death in 3-5 years from recurrent pneumonia and respiration failure;

ProgressionFromCondition

Combination of upper and lower motor neuron loss. Initial presentation.

TreatmentOptions

PharmOptions

WebLink

https://www.merckmanuals.com/en-ca/professional/neurologic-disorders/peripheral-nervous-system-and-motor-unit-disorders/amyotrophic-lateral-sclerosis-als-and-other-motor-neuron-diseases-mnds