List of medical mnemonics

MS MAID:

• Monitors (EKG, SpO2, EtCO2, etc.)
• Suction
• Machine check (according to ASA guidelines)
• Airway equipment (ETT, laryngoscope, oral/nasal airway)
• IV equipment
• Drugs (emergency, inductions, NMBs, etc.)

DOPE:

• Displaced (usually right mainstem, pyreform fossa, etc.)
• Obstruction (kinked or bitten tube, mucous plug, etc.)
• Pneumothorax (collapsed lung)
• Esophagus

MALES:

• Masks
• Airways
• Laryngoscopes
• Endotracheal tubes
• Suction/Stylette, bougie

"Little Boys Prefer Toys":

• Lidocaine
• Bupivacaine
• Procaine
• Tetracaine

"Ears, nose, hose, fingers, and toes"

• The vasoconstrictive effects of xylocaine with epinephrine are helpful in providing hemostasis while suturing; however, they may also cause local ischemic necrosis in distal structures such as the digits, tip of nose, penis, ears, etc.

"Digital PEN" – digits, penis, ear, nose

SPACE DIGS:

• Sleep disruption
• Psychomotor retardation
• Appetite change
• Concentration loss
• Energy loss
• Depressed mood
• Interest wanes
• Guilt
• Suicidal tendencies

"SIG E CAPS":

• Sleep disturbances
• Interest decreased (anhedonia)
• Guilt and/or feelings of worthlessness
• Energy decreased
• Concentration problems
• Appetite/weight changes
• Psychomotor agitation or retardation
• Suicidal ideation

• Primary: patient's psyche improved
• Secondary: symptom sympathy for patient
• Tertiary: therapist's gain

"Death always brings great acceptance":

• Denial
• Anger
• Bargaining
• Grieving
• Acceptance

HERO:

• Heterosexual/Homosexual crushes
• Education regarding short-term benefits
• Risk-taking
• Omnipotence

CHAP:

• Cataplexy
• Hallucinations
• Attacks of sleep
• Paralysis on waking
• Usual presentation is a young male, hence "chap"

SAD PERSONS scale:

• Sex (male – completion, female – attempt)
• Age (adolescent or elderly)
• Depression
• Previous attempt
• Ethanol abuse
• Rational thinking loss
• Social support problems
• Organised plan
• No spouse
• Sickness (chronic illness)

Delta waves during Deepest sleep (stages 3 and 4, slow-wave)

dREaM during REM sleep

PLANE:

• Psychogenic: performance anxiety
• Libido: decreased with androgen deficiency, drugs
• Autonomic neuropathy: impede blood flow redirection
• Nitric oxide deficiency: impaired synthesis, decreased blood pressure
• Erectile reserve: cannot maintain an erection

MED:

• Medicines (propranolol, methyldopa, SSRIs, etc.)
• Ethanol
• Diabetes mellitus

2 S's:

• SSRIs
• Squeezing technique (glans pressure before climax)

More detail with 2 more S's:

• Sensate-focus exercises (relieves anxiety)
• Stop and start method (5–6 rehearsals of stopping stimulation before climax)

"The rhythm nearly proved contagious":

In increasing order:

• Thiamine (vitamin B1, also spelled thiamin)
• Riboflavin (vitamin B2)
• Niacin (vitamin B3, also called nicotinic acid)
• Pyridoxine (vitamin B6)
• Cobalamin (vitamin B12)

"TIM HALL PVT. (Ltd.) always argue and never (get) tire":

• Phe – phenylalanine
• Val – valine
• Thr – threonine
• Trp – tryptophan
• Ile – isoleucine
• Met – methionine
• His – histidine
• Arg – arginine
• Leu – leucine
• Lys – lysine
• Always argue: A is for Arg (Arginine) not Asp (Aspartic acid).
• 'Never tire': T is not Tyr (Tyrosine), but is both Thr (Theronine) and Trp (Tryptophan).

†Note that this initialism uses single letters for each amino acid that are not the same as the standard single-letter codes commonly used in molecular biology to uniquely specify each amino acid; for example, though phenylalanine is represented here by the letter "P", it is formally represented by the letter "F" in most other contexts, and "P" is instead used to formally represent proline.

"Muscles LIVe fast":

• Leucine
• Isoleucine
• Valine

"The fat (fat-soluble vitamins) cat lives in the ADEK (vitamins A, D, E, and K)."[3]

A FOLIC DROP:

• Alcoholism
• Folic acid antagonists
• Oral contraceptives
• Low dietary intake
• Infection with Giardia
• Celiac sprue
• Dilantin
• Relative folate deficiency
• Old
• Pregnant

ABCD:

• Anderson's = Branching enzyme
• Cori's = Debranching enzyme
• Otherwise, cannot really distinguish clinically.

"Viagra pills cause a major hardon tendency":

• Von Gierke's
• Pompe's
• Cori's
• Anderson's
• McArdle's
• Her's
• Tarui's

"'On The Hill, LIL' Transformers":

• 1 - Oxidoreductases
• 2 - Transferases
• 3 - Hydrolases
• 4 - Lyases
• 5 - Isomerases
• 6 - Ligases
• 7 - Translocases

LMNOP:[4]

• Lasix (furosemide)
• Morphine (diamorphine)
• Nitrates
• Oxygen (sit patient up)
• Pulmonary ventilation (if doing badly)

THE ATRIAL FIBS:[4]

• Thyroid
• Hypothermia
• Embolism (P.E.)
• Alcohol
• Trauma (cardiac contusion)
• Recent surgery (post CABG)
• Ischemia
• Atrial enlargement
• Lone or idiopathic
• Fever, anemia, high-output states
• Infarct
• Bad valves (mitral stenosis)
• Stimulants (cocaine, theo, amphet, caffeine)

Secret little TIP (about) blood clots:[4]

Signs/symptoms of PE (3)

PE is the most likely diagnosis (3)

Tachycardia >100bpm (1.5)

Imobilisation/surgery in the last 4 weeks (1.5)

Previous DVT/PE

Blood in sputum (haemoptysis) (1)

Active cancer (1)

Two tier score: PE likely > 4

PET-MAC[5]

• P = Pulmonary embolism
• E = Esophageal rupture
• T = Tension pneumothorax
• M = Myocardial infarction
• A = Aortic dissection
• C = Cardiac tamponade

Under 8, intubate.[6]

4 C's:[4]

• Comatose
• Convulsing
• Corrosive
• hydrocarbon

PQRST(EKG waves):[4]

• Pericardial effusion
• Quantity of fluid raised (fluid over load)
• Right heart failure
• Superior vena caval obstruction
• Tricuspid stenosis/tricuspid regurgitation/tamponade (cardiac)

DOGASH:[4]

• Diamorphine
• Oxygen
• GTN spray
• Aspirin 300 mg
• Streptokinase
• Heparin

ITCHPAD[4]

Infarction

Tension pneumothorax

Cardiac tamponade

Hypovolemia/hypothermia/hypo-,hyperkalemia/hypomagnesmia/hypoxemia

Pulmonary embolism

Acidosis

Drug overdose

SOAP ME

Suction

Oxygen

Airway equipment

Positioning

Monitoring & medications

EtCO2 & other equipment[7]

Rapid sequence intubation medications (RSI) (CCRx)

Very calmly engage the respiratory system

Vecuronium 0.1 mg/kg[8]

Cisatracurium 0.2 mg/kg[8]

Etomidate 0.3 mg/kg[8]

Rocuronium 0.6 mg/kg-1.2 mg/kg[8]

Succinylcholine 1 mg/kg[8]

TV SPARC CUBE:[4]

Thirst

Vomitting

Sweating

Pulse weak

Anxious

Respirations shallow/rapid

Cool

Cyanotic

Unconscious

BP low

Eyes blank

RN CHAMPS (Alternatively: "MR. C.H. SNAP", or "NH CRAMPS"):

Respiratory

Neurogenic

Cardiogenic

Hemorrhagic

Anaphylactic

Metabolic

Psychogenic

Septic[9]

BATS:[4]

Berry aneurysm

Arteriovenous malformation/adult polycystic kidney disease

Trauma

Stroke

HEAD HEART VESSELS:[4]

CNS causes include HEAD:

Hypoxia/hypoglycemia

Epilepsy

Anxiety

Dysfunctional brain stem (basivertebral TIA)

Cardiac causes are HEART:

Heart attack

Embolism (PE)

Aortic obstruction (IHSS, AS or myxoma)

Rhythm disturbance, ventricular

Tachycardia

Vascular causes are VESSELS:

Vasovagal

Ectopic (reminds one of hypovolemia)

Situational

Subclavian steal

ENT (glossopharyngeal neuralgia)

Low systemic vascular resistance (Addison's, diabetic vascular neuropathy)

Sensitive carotid sinus

P-THORAX[10]

Pleuritic pain

Tracheal deviation

Hyperresonance

Onset sudden

Reduced breath sounds (and dyspnea)

Absent fremitus

X-ray shows collapse

Shock, shock, shock, everybody shock, little shock, big shock, momma shock, poppa shock:[4]

Shock= Defibrillate

Everybody= Epinephrine

Little= Lidocaine

Big= Bretylium

Momma= MgSO₄

Poppa= Pocainamide

KNIVES:[11]

Kidney – nephropathy

Neuromuscular – peripheral neuropathy, mononeuritis, amyotrophy

Infective – UTIs, TB

Vascular – coronary/cerebrovascular/peripheral artery disease

Eye – cataracts, retinopathy

Skin – lipohypertrophy/lipoatrophy, necrobiosis lipoidica

4 T's:

Teratoma

Thymoma

Testicular-type

T-cell / Hodgkin's lymphoma

Risk is 30% at age 30. Risk is 40% at age 40, and so on.

BLAB:

Bone

Liver

Adrenals

Brain

ABCDEF:

Achalasia

Barret's esophagus

Corrosive esophagitis

Diverticuliis

Esophageal web

Familial

SPEECH:

Superior vena cava syndrome

Paralysis of diaphragm (phrenic nerve)

Ectopic hormones

Eaton-Lambert syndrome

Clubbing

Horner syndrome/ hoarseness

ABCDE:

Asymmetry

Border irregular

Colour irregular

Diameter usually > 0.5 cm

Elevation irregular

PROGNOSIS:

Presentation (time & course)

Response to treatment

Old (bad prog.)

Good intervention (i.e. early)

Non-compliance with treatment

Order of differentiation (>1 cell type)

Stage of disease

Ill health

Spread (diffuse)

"Go look for the adenoma please":

Tropic hormones affected by growth tumor are:

GnRH

LSH

FSH

ACTH

Prolactin function

To assess abdomen, palpate all 4 quadrants for DR. GERM:

Distension: liver problems, bowel obstruction

Rigidity (board like): bleeding

Guarding: muscular tension when touched

Eviseration/ ecchymosis

Rebound tenderness: infection

Masses

AEIOU TIPS

Alcohol

Epilepsy, electrolytes, and encephalopathy

Insulin

Overdose, oxygen

Underdose, uremia

Trauma, temperature

Infection

Psychogenic, poisons

Stroke, shock[12]

One two, put on my shoe - S1/2 roots for Achilles reflex (foot plantarflexion)

Three four, kick the door - L3/4 roots for patellar reflex (knee extension)

Five six, pick up sticks - C5/6 roots for brachioradialis and biceps brachii reflexes (elbow flexion)

Seven eight, shut the gate - C7/8 roots for triceps brachii reflex (elbow extension)

OPQRST (Works well for cardiac, and respiratory patients.)[13]

Onset of the event

Provocation or palliation

Quality of the pain

Region and radiation

Severity

Time

VEAL CHOP

[14]

5 P's:

Pain

Pallor

Paresthesia

Pulse

Paralysis[15]

DCAP-BTLS

Deformities & discolorations

Contusions

Abrasions & avulsion

Penetrations & punctures

Burns

Tenderness

Lacerations

Swelling & symmetry

OTIS CAMPBELL

Organophosphates

Tricyclic antidepressants

Isoniazid, insulin

Sympathomimetics

Camphor, cocaine

Amphetamines

Methylxanthines

PCP, propoxyphene, phenol, propranolol

Benzodiazepine withdrawal, botanicals

Ethanol withdrawal

Lithium, lidocaine

Lindane, lead[16]

ABCDEFGHI:

Acute renal failure

Brain [increased ICP]

Cardiac [inferior MI]

DKA

Ears [labyrinthitis]

Foreign substances [paracetamol, theo, etc.]

Glaucoma

Hyperemesis gravidarum

Infection [pyelonephritis, meningitis]

"All patients take meds":

Reading from top left:

Aortic

Pulmonary

Tricuspid

Mitral

Scale types is 3 V's:

Visual response

Verbal response

Vibratory (motor) response Scale scores are 4,5,6:

Scale of 4: see so much more

Scale of 5: talking jive

Scale of 6: feels the pricks (if testing motor by pain withdrawal)

"Assessed mental state to be positively clinically unremarkable":

Appearance and behaviour [observe state, clothing...]

Mood [recent spirit]

Speech [rate, form, content]

Thinking [thoughts, perceptions]

Behavioural abnormalities

Perception abnormalities

Cognition [time, place, age...]

Understanding of condition [ideas, expectations, concerns]

SAMPLE history

Signs and symptoms

Allergies

Medications

Past medical history, injuries, illnesses

Last meal/intake

Events leading up to the injury and/or illness

OPQRST history

Onset of symptoms

Provocation/pallitive

Quality or character of pain

Region of pain or radiation

Signs, symptoms and severity

Time of onset, duration, intensity

CLORIDE FPP

Character: sharp or dull pain

Location: region (joint) of origin

Onset: sudden vs. gradual

Radiation:

Intensity: how severe (scale 1–10), impact on ADLs (activities of daily living), is it getting better, worse or staying the same?

Duration: acute vs. chronic

Events associated: falls, morning stiffness, swelling, redness, joint clicking or locking, muscle cramps, muscle wasting, movement limitation, weakness, numbness or tingling, fever, chills, trauma (mechanism of injury), occupation activities, sports, repetitive movements

Frequency: intermittent vs. constant, have you ever had this pain before?

Palliative factors: is there anything that makes it better? (rest, activity, meds, heat, cold)

Provocative factors: is there anything that makes it worse? (rest, activity, etc.)[17]

SOCRATES:

Site

Onset

Character

Radiation

Alleviating factors/ associated symptoms

Timing (duration, frequency)

Exacerbating factors

Severity

Alternatively, signs and symptoms with the 'S'

PLOTRADIO

Past history

Location

Onset/offset

Type/character (of pain)

Radiation

Aggravating/alleviating factors

Duration

Intensity

Other associated symptoms

9 F's:

Fat

Feces

Fluid

Flatus

Fetus

Full-sized tumors

Full bladder

Fibroids

False pregnancy

12 P's

Psychological (mental) status

Pupils: size, symmetry, reaction

Paired ocular movements

Papilloedema

Pressure (BP, increased ICP)

Pulse and rate

Paralysis, paresis

Pyramidal signs

Pin prick sensory response

Pee (incontinent)

Patellar reflex

Ptosis

"Breakfast is fast, dinner is slow, both go down":

Bobbing is fast

Dipping is slow

In both, the initial movement is down.

3AM:

3rd nerve palsy

Anti-muscarinic eye drops (e.g. to facilitate fundoscopy)

Myotonic pupil

ABC:

Appearance (SOB, pain, etc.)

Behaviour

Connections (drips, inhalers, etc. connected to patient)

"A VITAMIN C"

Acquired

Vascular

Inflammatory (infectious and non-infectious)

Trauma/ toxins

Autoimmune

Metabolic

Idiopathic

Neoplastic

Congenital

"Absent reflexes should get paediatrics professors mad"

Absent: asymmetrical tonic neck reflex

Reflexes: rooting reflex

Should: suck reflex

Get: grasp reflex

Paediatrics: placing reflex

Professors: parachute reflex

Mad: Moro reflex

BALD CHASM:

Blood pressure (high)

Arthritis

Lung disease

Diabetes

Cancer

Heart disease

Alcoholism

Stroke

Mental health disorders (depression, etc.)

"I'm a people person"

Inspection

Auscultation

Percussion

Palpation

MJ THREADS:

Myocardial infarction

Jaundice

Tuberculosis

Hypertension

Rheumatic fever/ rheumatoid arthritis

Epilepsy

Asthma

Diabetes

Strokes

VAMP THIS:

Vices (tobacco, alcohol, other drugs, sexual risks)

Allergies

Medications

Preexisting medical conditions

Trauma

Hospitalizations

Immunizations

Surgeries

SMASH FM:

Social history

Medical history

Allergies

Surgical history

Hospitalizations

Family history

Medications

SOAP:

Subjective: what the patient says.

Objective: what the examiner observes.

Assessment: what the examiner thinks is going on.

Plan: what they intend to do about it

LADDERS:

Living situation/ lifestyle

Anxiety

Depression

Daily activities (describe a typical day)

Environmental risks / exposure

Relationships

Support system / stress

"6 students and 3 teachers go for CAMPFIRE":

Site, size, shape, surface, skin, scar

Tenderness, temperature, transillumination

Consistency

Attachment

Mobility

Pulsation

Fluctuation

Irreducibility

Regional lymph nodes

Edge

RETARD HEIGHT:

Rickets

Endocrine (cretinism, hypopituitarism, Cushing's)

Turner syndrome

Achondroplasia

Respiratory(suppurative lung disease)

Down syndrome

Hereditary

Environmental (postirradiation, postinfectious)

IUGR

GI (malabsorption)

Heart (congenital heart disease)

Tilted backbone (scoliosis)

S&S:

Sign: I (the examiner) can detect attributes/reactions without patient description

Symptom: patient only can sense attributes/feelings

FED TACOS:

Food

Exercise

Drugs

Tobacco

Alcohol

Caffeine

Occupation

Sexual activity

INVESTIGATIONS:

Iatrogenic

Neoplastic

Vascular

Endocrine

Structural / mechanical

Traumatic

Inflammatory

Genetic / congenital

Autoimmune

Toxic

Infective

Old age / degenerative

Nutritional

Spontaneous / idiopathic

PAST MIDNIGHT:

Psychological

Autoimmune

Spontaneous/idiopathic

Toxic

Metabolic

Inflammatory

Degenerative

Neoplastic

Infection

Genetic

Hematological

Traumatic

VITAMIN CDEF:

Vascular

Infective/inflammatory

Traumatic

Autoimmune

Metabolic

Iatrogenic/idiopathic

Neoplastic

Congenital

Degenerative/developmental

Endocrine/environmental

Functional

LMNOP:

Lump

Mammary changes

Nipple changes

Other symptoms

Patient risk factors

SPIKES:

Setting up

Perception

Invitation

Knowledge

Emotions

Strategy and summary

AEIOU[18]

Acidosis (refractory to treatment)

Electrolyte abnormalities (refractory to treatment, e.g. hyperkalemia)

Ingestions (e.g. methanol, ethylene glycol, lithium, salicylates)

Overload (volume overload refractory to IV diuresis)

Uremia (presenting with pericarditis, bleeding, encephalopathy)

St. VITUS'S DANCE:[4]

Sydenhams

Vascular

Increased RBC's (polycythemia)

Toxins: CO, Mg, Hg

Uremia

SLE

Senile chorea

Drugs

APLA syndrome

Neurodegenerative conditions: HD, neuroacanthocytosis, DRPLA

Conception related: pregnancy, OCP's

Endocrine: hyperthyroidism, hypo-, hyperglycemia

DREAMS:[4]

Dominantly inherited, mostly

Reflexes decreased

Enzymes normal

Apathetic floppy baby

Milestones delayed

Skeletal abnormalities

DEMENTIA:[4]

Drugs/depression

Elderly

Multi-infarct/medication

Environmental

Nutritional

Toxins

Ischemia

Alcohol

"Ataxic GAAit"

Guanine

Adenine

Adenine [19]

HEADS:[4]

Hypertension/ hyperlipidemia

Elderly

Atrial fib

Diabetes mellitus/ drugs (cocaine)

Smoking/sex (male)

Horny PAMELA:

Ptosis

Anhydrosis

Miosis

Enophthalmos

Loss of ciliary-spinal reflex

Anisocoria

DANISH:

• Dysdiadochokinesia / dysmetria
• Ataxia
• Nystagmus (horizontal)
• Intention tremor
• Slurred speech
• Hypotonia

Pinpoint pupils are caused by opioids and pontine pathology

CAFÉ SPOT:

• Café au lait spots
• Axillary + inguinal freckling
• Fibromas
• Eye: Lisch nodules
• Sphenoid dysplasia
• Positive family history
• Optic tumour (glioma)

Wet, wobbly, wacky:

• Wet = urinary incontinence
• Wobbly = ataxic gait
• Wacky = dementia

Some drugs create awesome knockers

Spironolactone

Digitalis

Cimetidine

Alcohol

Ketoconazole[20]

Conduct disorder is seen in children. Antisocial personality disorder is seen in adults.

AWESOME:

Affect flat

Weight change (loss or gain)

Energy, loss of

Sad feelings/ suicide thoughts or plans or attempts/ sexual inhibition/ sleep change (loss or excess) / social withdrawal

Others (guilt, loss of pleasure, hopeless)

Memory loss

Emotional blunting

UNHAPPINESS:

Understandable (such as bereavement, major stresses)

Neurotic (high anxiety personalities, negative parental upbringing, hypochondriasis)

Agitation (usually organic causes such as dementia)

Pseudodementia

Pain

Importuniing (whingeing, complaining)

Nihilistic

Endogenous

Secondary (i.e. cancer at the head of the pancreas, bronchogenic cancer)

Syndromal

DIMES & 3Ps:

Drugs (or withdrawal)

Infection (PUS = Pneumonia, UTI, Skin)

Metabolic (e.g. Na, Ca, TSH)

Environmental

Structural

Pain

Pee

Poo

I WATCH DEATH[21]
Infections – PUS, CNS

Withdrawal – alcohol, sedatives, barbiturates

Acute metabolic changes – pH, hypo/hyper Na, Ca, acute liver or renal failure

Trauma – brain injury, subdural hematoma

CNS – post-ictal, stroke, tumour, brain mets

Hypoxia – CHF, anemia

Deficiencies – thiamine, niacin, B12 (e.g. chronic G and T alcoholics)

Endocrinopathies – hypo-/hyper-cortisol, hypoglycemia

Acute vascular – hypertensive encephalopathy, septic hypotension

Toxins and Drugs – especially anti-cholinergics, opioids, benzodiazepines

Heavy metals

PINCH ME

Pain

Infection

Nutrition

Constipation

Hydration

Medication

Electrolytes

"The sad tale of Erikson Motors":

• The stages in order by age group:

Mr. Trust and MsTrust had an auto they were ashamed of. She took the initiative to find the guilty party. She found the industry was inferior. They were making cars with dents [identity] and rolling fuses [role confusion]. Mr. N.T. Macy [intimacy] isolated the problem, General TVT absorbed the cost. In the end, they found the tires were just gritty and the should have used de- spare!

ASEPTIC:

Appearance

Speech

Emotion (objective/subjective)

Perceptions

Thoughts

Insight

Cognition

DIG FAST:

Distractibility

Indiscretion (DSM-IV's "excessive involvement in pleasurable activities")

Grandiosity

Flight of ideas

Activity increase

Sleep deficit (decreased need for sleep)

Talkativeness (pressured speech)

Must have 3 of MANIAC:

Mouth (pressure of speech)/ Moodl

Activity increased

Naughty (disinhibition)

Insomnia

Attention (distractibility)

Confidence (grandiose ideas)

Sleep terrors and Sleepwalking occur during Slow-wave sleep (stages 3 & 4).Nightmare occurs during REM sleep (and is remembered).

"Depressed patients seem anxious, so call psychiatrists":

Depression and other mood disorders (major depression, bipolar disorder, dysthymia)

Personality disorders (primarily borderline personality disorder)

Substance abuse disorders

Anxiety disorders (panic disorder with agoraphobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder)

Somatization disorder, eating disorders (these two disorders are combined because both involve disorders of bodily perception)

Cognitive disorders (dementia, delirium)

Psychotic disorders (schizophrenia, delusional disorder and psychosis accompanying depression, substance abuse or dementia)

4 A's:

Ambivalence

Affective incongruence

Associative loosening

Autism

WITHDraw IT:

• 3 of 7 within 12-month period:

Withdrawal

Interest or Important activities given up or reduced

Tolerance

Harm to physical and psychosocial known but continue to use

Desire to cut down, control

Intended time, amount exceeded

Time spent too much

"Pamela found our rotation particularly exciting; very highly commended mainly 'cus she arouses":

Patient details

Film details

Objects (e.g. lines, electrodes)

Rotation

Penetration

Expansion

Vessels

Hila

Costophrenic angles

Mediastinum

Cardiothoracic ratio

Soft tissues and bones

Air (diaphragm, pneumothorax, subcut. emphysema)

Preliminary is ABCDEF:

AP or PA

Body position

Confirm name

Date

Exposure

Films for comparison

Analysis is ABCDEF:

Airways (hilar adenopathy or enlargement)

Breast shadows / bones (rib fractures, lytic bone lesions)

Cardiac silhoutte (cardiac enlargement) / costophrenic angles (pleural effusions)

Diaphragm (evidence of free air) / digestive tract

Edges (apices for fibrosis, pneumothorax, pleural thickening or plaques) / extrathoracic tissues

Fields (evidence of alveolar filling) / failure (alveolar air space disease with prominent vascularity with or without pleural effusions)

"If you see holes on chest X-ray, they are weird":

Wegener's granulomatosis (now known as granulomatosis with polyangiitis)

Embolic (pulmonary, septic)

Infection (anaerobes, pneumocystis, TB)

Rheumatoid (necrobiotic nodules)

Developmental cysts (sequestration)

Histiocytosis

Oncological

Lymphangioleiomyomatosis

Environmental, occupational

Sarcoid

Alternatively: L=Left atrial myxoma

CRITOE:

Capitellum

Radial head

Internal epicondyle

Trochlea

Olecranon

External epicondyle

"Blood can be very bad":

Blood

Cistern

Brain

Ventricles

Bone

ABCD:

Anterior: look for swelling

Bones: examine each bone for fractures

Cartilage: look for slipped discs

Dark spots: ensure not abnormally big, or could mean excess blood

LOSS:

Loss of joint space

Osteopyhtes

Subcondral sclerosis

Subchondral cysts

"WW 2" (World War II):

Water is white in a T2 scan.

Conversely, a T1 scan shows fat as being whiter.

BREASTS:

Beryllium

Radiation

Extrinsic allergic alveolitis

Ankylosing spondylitis

Sarcoidosis

TB

Siliconiosis

LEMON

• Look
• Evaluate
• Mallampati
• Occlusion
• Neck mobility

PIPPA

• Position
• Inspection
• Palpation
• Percussion
• Auscultation

ASTHMA

• Adrenergic agonists
• Steroids
• Theophylline
• Hydration
• Masked oxygen
• Anticholinergics[22]

CAT items: CHEST SEA

To aid memory, think of the chest (or lungs) floating in a sea of yellow sputum, which is commonly seen in COPD.

• Cough
• Home-leaving confidence
• Exercise tolerance (uphill/ 1 flight of stairs)
• Sputum (phlegm/ mucus)
• Tightness of chest
• Sleep
• Energy level
• ADL at home

• 3 S's:
  • Stridor
  • Subglottic swelling
  • Seal-bark cough

A TEA SHOP

• ABPA
• TB
• Extrinsic allergic alveolitis
• Ankylosing spondylitis
• Sarcoidosis
• Histiocytosis
• Occupational (silicosis, berylliosis)
• Pneumoconiosis (coal-worker's)

A CHEST

• Arrhythmia/altered conscious level
• Cyanosis, PaCO2 normal
• Hypotension, hypoxia (PaO2<8kPa, SpO2 <92%)
• Exhaustion
• Silent chest
• Threatening PEF < 33% best or predicted (in those >5yrs old)

LMNOP:

Lasix

Morphine

Nitro

Oxygen

Position/positive pressure ventilation[24]

SLUDGE and the Killer B's:

Salivation

Lacrimation

Urination

Diaphoresis, diarrhea

Gastrointestinal cramping

Emesis

Bradycardia

Bronchospasm

Bronchorrhea[25]

also known as DUMBBELLS

Diarrhea

Urination

Miosis

Bradycardia

Bronchospasm

Emesis

Lacrimation

Loss of muscle strength

Salivation/sweating

Cheyne-Stokes breathing sounds like "chain smokes"

Drugs causing gynaecomastia: DISCO

• Digitalis
• Isoniazid
• Spironolactone
• Cimetidine / ketoconazole
• Oestrogen

Isoproterenol

Dopamine

Epinephrine

Atropine sulfate

C3, 4, 5 keeps the diaphragm alive[26]

7 P's

Preparation

Preoxygenation

Pretreatment

Paralysis with induction

Positioning

Placement of tube

Postintubation management[27]

FAT RN:

Fever

Anemia

Thrombocytopenia

Renal

Neuro changes[28]

SOAP BRAIN MD

Serositis

Oral ulcers

Arthritis

Photosensitivity, pulmonary fibrosis

Blood cells

Renal, Raynaud's

ANA

Immunologic (anti-Sm, anti-dsDNA)

Neuropsych

Malar rash

Discoid rash however, not in order of diagnostic importance.